New Zealand: when the pants exploded in the 1930s

In the 1930s, New Zealand farmers began to face an unusual problem: their pants did not stop igniting or even exploding.The use of highly flammable chemical sodium chlorate as herbicide against the seneçon was then in question.

Imagine the scene.You are a breeder of New Zealand sheep from the 1930s. You go about your business when suddenly you smell a burned smell.You look up and discover to your surprise that your pants ignited itself.You then try to remove it and then cause an explosion.

This type of mishap could lend to smile, but this is not an isolated case.At the time, many farmers from all over the country reported having been victims of these fiery pants, some simply by riding on horseback, while others saw them caught fire on the clothes.

"A man's pants exploded with a loud noise.Fortunately, the owner was not there at that time, "reports in particular a newspaper on the north island on August 12, 1931." Although distinguished by the force of the explosion, he was able to grasp the garmentAnd throw it on the grass outside.There, the pants have consumed with a series of minor detonations ".

More dramatic: some deaths have even been reported, especially because of pants that ignited the rest of the closet, then the whole house, ultimately killing their occupants.

But then, why did these pants take fire suddenly?

A story of Séneçon

It all started with the Séneçon.Imported from Europe in the 1800s, this herbaceous plant, which contains toxic substances causing serious liver lesions, spread in New Zealand as a trail of powder (this is the case to say) over several decades inThe vast expanses of land cleared during the post-war boom, finally touching thousands of animals, including many sheep.

In the early 1930s, many New Zealanders then enthusiastically adopted the highly flammable chemical sodium chlorate as herbicide against the seneçon under the advice of the Ministry of Agriculture.Problem: sodium chlorate is a very volatile product, particularly explosive when mixed with organic matter.

However, at the time, many farmers wore clothes made from organic matter such as wool or cotton.Once dry and exposed to heat (by friction, for example by climbing on horseback or by doing agricultural tasks), these clothes can then take ignite very quickly and sometimes even explode.

At the time, the Ministry of Agriculture advised workers to wear such loose clothing so that in the event of an emergency, they could be removed as quickly as possible (even if the combustion of the gamesaturated with sodium chlorate was almost instantaneous).