Fire story

摘要

According to legend, we have to thank the Greek God Prometheus for the gift of fire. It was a double edged gift. On the one hand it made civilisation possible. On the other it has been incinerating us ever since. Perhaps that is why Zeus chained Prometheus to a rock and despatched an eagle to devour his liver. But there was no going back -fire would both bless and curse the human race from then on. But, being the resourceful type, we soon began to figure out ways of dealing with 'the curse'. As far back as the 3rd century BC, the Egyptians took time off from building pyramids to develop a fire extinguishing water pump, and Ancient Rome can claim the first attempt at a fire brigade. Unfortunately, like fire itself, this brigade proved a mixed blessing. When Roman firemen first arrived at your burning property they stood round doing nothing while their employer, one Marcus Licinius Crassus, negotiated a price. Failure to agree meant that your property would be allowed to burn to the ground. The considerate Crassus would then offer you a cut-down price for the ashes and newly-created building plot.