[meteorite-list] Meteorite Fire or Bad Report?

[Meteorites USA]

Hi list,

 From what I read this is based on two peoples "possible" meteor sighting...

---------------------------REPORT-------------------------

METEOR STRIKE MAY HAVE CAUSED PEAT BOG FIRE NEAR CARLISLE
By Phil Coleman

Last updated 13:26, Saturday, 16 May 2009

A huge fire which tore through a Cumbria peat bog near Carlisle may have 
been caused by a meteor strike, according to some locals.

Related: Cumbrian firefighters tackle half mile long peat bog blaze

Firefighters spent several hours on Monday morning battling the blaze at 
Wedholme Flow, near Kirkbride, which at its height stretched for half a 
mile, leaving a wall of fire visible from miles around.

It has now emerged that some residents living near the bog reported 
seeing a white-hot meteor streaking through the night sky.

The theory is that it may have triggered fire shortly after striking the 
ground on Sunday night.

The nature reserve is managed by Natural England. Alasdair Brock, who is 
senior manager at the site, helped the team of 17 firefighters who 
tackled the blaze.

He said: “My wife Claire is a GP in Penrith, and a colleague of hers who 
was passing nearby saw the meteorite or something flashing through the 
sky in the general vicinity of the Solway mosses.

“I believe this man is a reliable witness, so it’s entirely feasible 
this happened.”

Natural England spokesman Will Herman said: “The meteor theory is a 
possible cause of the fire but there’s no way now of verifying this as 
any meteorite is likely to have been small and would have buried itself 
in the peat, leaving little evidence.

“Our senior manager went out the next day to check that everything was 
out and to have a look around. Unfortunately he saw no evidence of the 
meteorite.”

The meteor theory is thought to carry weight as the weather at the time 
of the fire was not particularly hot, and the area is not known for 
attracting vandals who might want to start fires, particularly late at 
night.

One eyewitness who may have seen the meteor was Paula Hinds, who was 
sitting at home in Langholm when her attention was drawn to a skylight. 
“It all happened in a split second,” said Paula, 29. “I saw a light, 
like a firework but a lot bigger. It shot across the sky. It was about 
10pm and it was heading towards Carlisle.

“It thought nothing more about it until the following morning when I 
heard about the fire and the idea that it may have been caused by a meteor.”

Three fire crews from Carlisle, Wigton and Silloth used beaters to kill 
the flames as the fire spread.

A Cumbria fire service spokesman said: “The fire and smoke could be seen 
from several miles away.”

David Sparkes, 57, who lives nearby, said the fire was first spotted by 
his 14-year-old daughter Marie.

“The whole lot went up very quickly,” he said.

“Normally, the wind blows towards our house but fortunately that night 
it wasn’t.

“We were out watching the fire until 12.30am.”

SOURCE: 
http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/meteor_strike_may_have_caused_peat_bog_fire_near_carlisle_1_555728?referrerPath=home

RELATED: 
http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/cumbrian_firefighters_tackle_half_mile_long_peat_bog_blaze_1_553274?referrerPath=news

-- 
Regards,
Eric Wichman
Meteorites USA
http://www.meteoritesusa.com
904-236-5394