Allegheny County PA Archives News.....A BALL OF FIRE BURSTS IN A HOUSE September 11, 1882
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Rich Bentley RichBentley@sbcglobal.net January 16, 2008, 3:05 pm

Pittsburgh Commercial / New York Times September 11, 1882
A BALL OF FIRE BURSTS IN A HOUSE.
From the Pittsburg (Penn.) Commercial, Sept.  6.

The storm on Monday afternoon was remarkable, not only for the vast quantity of
rain emptied from the clouds in a very few minutes, but for the other
accompaniments not usual on such occasions. One of these was noted at the
residence of Mr. P. C. Reniers, the sculptor, at Chartiers. At 4:30 o’clock Mrs.
Reniers and her son were seated in the hall of their residence, with both the
front and rear doors open, but all doors communicating with rooms on the same
floor closed. There had been in that region no signs of a storm and no thunder
was heard. Hearing a peculiar hissing noise, they looked up and beheld a ball of
fire in the air over their heads as large apparently as a man’s head, rapidly
revolving and emitting brilliant light. They were startled by its appearance,
and had time barely to observe it when it exploded with a loud report, filling
the air with sulphurous fumes so strong as nearly to suffocate them, and
covering everything with a fine luminous dust. The ball - aerolite, or whatever
it may have been - was almost directly over the head of Willie Reniers when it
exploded, and he received a thorough coating of the dust, his hair being filled
with it. All the doors and windows were thrown open, in order to get rid of the
unpleasant suggestive fumes, and it was discovered that the effects of the
strange visitor was plainly marked throughout the house. The ceilings of the
lower story were finished with gilt molding, all of which was blackened and
hopelessly ruined. Gilt picture frames were also discolored, and the paintings
marked. Above and below the molding a strip of perhaps four inches broad was
also blackened. The dust, which was particularly adhesive, clung to the walls
and ceilings and furniture in all parts of the house, and at night when lamps
were lit everything looked as if bespangled with diamond dust, and most
beautiful effects were produced. The powder, which is very fine, is evidently of
a metallic nature. No injury to persons occurred, but it is within bounds to say
that two worse frightened persons than Mrs. Reniers and her son were would be
difficult to find. Balls of fire are not infrequently seen traversing the
heavens at night, but this is the first instance on record, so far as we are
informed, of one entering and exploding in a house. Neither of the persons who
saw it can tell at which door it entered.

Additional Comments:
More about P. C. Reniers can be found on the Tombstone Carvers page at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/1pa/tscarvers/reniers-peter/reniers-peter.htm
His will is transcribed on the Wills Page at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/wills.htm

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