Edison burned down a railroad mail car.
“Thomas Edison did not intentionally burn down the car, but an accident involving his portable laboratory caused a fire in the baggage car of the Grand Trunk Railroad train in 1862. The incident occurred when a stick of phosphorus was jarred from its shelf during a lurch, igniting the carriage and forcing the enraged conductor to eject Edison along with all his equipment.”
“The conductor reportedly boxed Edison’s ears severely in response to the fire, an injury that contributed to Edison’s lifelong hearing loss, though some theories attribute his deafness to scarlet fever or other incidents. “
So there you have it [according to one source...].