Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 26 February 1892
Accidents from Paraffin Lamps
Paraffin has been responsible for many deaths – it will unfortunately the prime cause of more, so long as it is consumed in lamps which are constructed on the system of a deathtrap.
The kind of lamp used by the unfortunate woman Elizabeth Gosling, who was burnt to death recently at Denaby Main, is not known. At the inquest it was stated that while she was going upstairs with the lamp it exploded. The lamp, it was explained, always had a quart of paraffin in, and it is surmised that the draft drove this flame downwards into the spirit and caused the accident.
The fact that an explosion occurred is borne out by the statement that piece of glass were found at the top of the staircase.
People use lamp should take care that the danger of the flame making its way into the older, where there is always a quantity of each of paraffin, is reduced to a minimum.
Gas is always less dangerous than paraffin.