Self-Heating of Rags Soaked in Drying Oil; How Long Until They Can Ignite?

Hawkins has investigated numerous fires where the most probable cause has been the self-heating of rags, cloths or other similar materials that were impregnated with drying oils, such as linseed oil.

Fires and Explosions at Sea

Hawkins investigated the cause of a fire and explosion on board a container ship on behalf of an insurer of various cargo interests. One of the key questions, as always, was which occurred first, the fire or the explosion?

Fire at Burger Manufacturer

The manufacturer of beef burgers suffered major damage at their factory when a fire broke out in the control panel of a defrosting unit. However, one of the main concerns of the insurers was why the fire managed to spread so quickly.