The Hazards of Smoking Sparrows
There are certain things we hear that, although serious to those on the receiving end, can cause a wry smile to the rest of us.
Such was the case recently when a shop premises was hit by a severe fire which started in the roof. Not amusing at all, potentially deadly, thankfully not.
Fire officers were completely baffled by the cause of the fire. The owners naturally submitted a claim to their insurance firm who, needless to say, wanted to know the cause of the fire before they would settle the claim. The insurance firm employed forensic investigators who discovered that a Sparrow had built a nest in the roof and lined it with cigarette filters, which for non smokers who don’t know, contain a fluffy material designed to filter the toxic chemicals contained within the cigarette smoke.
As the shop was part of a small precinct the Sparrows had quite a ready made supply of cigarette ends dropped by those visiting the shops. It was concluded that one sparrow picked up a cigarette end that was not properly extinguished, lined her nest with it and caused the devastating inferno that followed.
I do not wish to trivialise the serious nature of the fire, but there was no news as to whether the Sparrow escaped unharmed.
On a more serious note there was also no news on whether the insurance company paid out on the claim.
I am presently seething over insurance companies and similar firms who shirk their responsibilities behind pages of terms and conditions. I will shortly be writing an article on recent experiences regarding couriers and their opt out clauses when it comes to damaged and lost items. This will be of significant interest to both online sellers and buyers alike.