Sparrow carries lit cigarette to its nest... and burns down a shop in a £250,000 blaze

Daily Mail ^ | 22nd April 2009 | David Wilkes

[Daffynition]

When the village store was gutted in a mystery fire, its owner Paul Sheriff was understandably less than chirpy.

After all, his livelihood had gone up in flames as the blaze caused £250,000 worth of damage.

But his shock turned to amazement when, after weeks of extensive investigations, his insurance company finally traced the cause of the fire - to a sparrow with rather an unusual taste in nest-building, not to mention a laissez-faire attitude to the perils of smoking.

The bird had been taking advantage of all that the immediate surroundings of Crescent Stores in Leasingham, near Sleaford, Lincolnshire, had to offer as it built its home in the eaves - and that included not just the usual twigs but cigarette butts thrown on the pavement below too.

Unfortunately for Mr Sheriff, however, as it busily went about its work, the sparrow had plucked a still smouldering dog-end from the floor, flown into the roof space and dropped it there leading to disaster.

[Daffynition]

[GeronL]

laissez-faire attitude

I doubt using that phrase was an accident

[montyspython]

Or was it Obama hiding on the roof away from his Secret Service detail to sneak a smoke?

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Dumb bird!....Doesn’t it know second hand nest smoke is dangerous to your health?

[OneWingedShark]

lol - Awesome.

[poindexters brother]

Darwin award winner

Or is that only for humans?

[Daffynition]

Should I care?

[Responsibility2nd]

"I'm trying to cut back. Really I am."

[ETL]

Latest reports say the wittle birdie had an “ELF” tattoo under his left wing.

[Dr. Sivana]

Next week we’ll read about a bird hurting someone because he used an SUV in his nest. Ooops, I mean that the SUV hurt someone.

[KarlInOhio]

Sparrow looking for something else to set on fire.

[Daffynition]

Guilty! ;)

[JoeProBono]

[Daffynition]

[SES1066]

Is this a case where the culprit has 'flown the roost'?

I hope that the Insurance Company does not have the ability to claim this as an 'Act of God'? After all - Matthew 10 has; "And not one of them (sparrow) falls to the ground apart from your Father's will."

Then again this is in Englanistan so maybe the Bible doesn't come into play any more.

[Daffynition]

LOL

[Daffynition]

The mug shot......

[Daffynition]

Happy Earth Day!

[Daffynition]

BRAVO! ;-P

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Darwin award winner

Or is that only for humans?

Can we set up a careless birdie category?

[dfwgator]

Mrs O’Leary’s Sparrow?

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Good one!

[Daffynition]

[Daffynition]

"Then again this is in Englanistan so maybe the Bible doesn't come into play any more."

It's an ex-sparrow!

[Daffynition]

Smoking Gun has the mug shot of the culprit.

[JoeProBono]

[Daffynition]

DIY