Nexus - 0225 - New Times Magazine-pages

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FURTHER FIERY PHENOMENA phosphorus-free. Fire Chief Wilson was quoted as saying: “The Strange, apparent spontaneous combustion events can also _ whole thing is so screwy and fantastic that I'm almost ashamed to occur in buildings and objects and even affect entire towns and talk about it." landscapes. One famous occurrence, which received considerable By Sunday 14th August, over two hundred fires had broken publicity at the time, was a series of weird fires that broke out in out—an average of almost 29 per day! On that day, the blazes Macomb, Illinois, USA, in August 1946. reached sufficient frequency that they raged out of contro! and In the book, Mysterious Fires And Lights (Borderland Sciences _ burnt down the home. Willey set up a tarpaulin and posts in the Research Foundation, 1994), author Vincent Gaddis describes the yard for a makeshift tent. The McNeils moved into the garage. following scenario. On 7th August 1946 The next day, the barn went up in flames. at the Charles Willey farm 12 miles south Two days later, the milkhouse (now of Macomb, small brown spots began to Strange, apparent being used as a dining room) had spot appear on the wallpaper in the five-bed- 3 . - fires. On the Thursday, the second barn- room house. The Willey family consisted spontaneous combustion house burnt down. A fire extinguisher of Charles and his wife, his brother-in- events can also. occur In salesman was at the scene with his equip- law Arthur McNeil and Arthur's two chil- ment but the fire was so intense that he dren. was helpless. On the Friday, both fami- buildings and objects and The spots were around two to three | even affect entire towns and | lies left the farm and the US Air-Force inches in diameter (five to nine centime- tres) and were in fact scorch marks. On Their chief technician, Lewis Gust, reaching an estimated 450 degrees 2s thought perhaps "very high frequencies Fahrenheit they ignited, setting the wallpaper on fire. Day after and short waves" may be responsible. By Sunday 22nd August, day, more and more spots appeared. Neighbours came to help over one thousand sightseers and investigators had visited the keep watch and douse the fires. Pans and buckets were placed at farm. Fires continued to ignite. Investigators ruled out fly spray, strategic points throughout the house. The Fire Chief of Macomb, radio waves, underground gas and many other explanations. On Fred Wilson, was called in. He had Charles Willey strip the paper © 30th August, Deputy Marshal Burgard announced he'd solved the away, but the brown spots continued to appear on the bare boards mystery: it was arson and the culprit was thirteen-year-old Wanet and even on the ceilings. McNeil, Charles Willey's niece! Simple! Over the next week, fire spots began to appear outside on the The Deputy Marshal and the Illinois State Attorney had taken porch. Curtains were ignited, an ironing board burnt, and cloth on __ her aside and closely questioned her. She admitted it. She wasn't a bed burnt to ash. The insurance company reported that the wall- happy with her father. She missed her mother. She didn't want to paper was not coated with cockroach repellent and was therefore _ live on the farm. Forgotten were all the witnesses to the hundreds landscapes. got involved. APRIL - MAY 1995 NEXUS * 59