Comments on: Fire in the hole.

By: Abe Pilkington

Abe Pilkington — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 04:11:54 +0000

I realize it’s years later now (after these posts), but prior to reading this the canon idea was the best one i could think of for an origin. Because there was the aforementioned “Hole” in which the fire was placed to set off the canon as well as the need for a warning due to the delay. I also don’t buy the “fire down below” theory, it just doesn’t make sense logically. As a sailor it’s just far too vague a statement to be of any use to the crew, on a ship a fire anywhere is a main priority and detail is needed and not time consuming enough to necessitate shortening. It’s just as quick and easy to shout “fire in the galley”, or “fire in the crew quarters” as it is to shout “fire down below” which as was already mentioned means anything below the deck. The fact that canons on vessels are far older than American mining i have to believe this is the true origin of this phrase, but i’m neither a historian nor a student of English, so i obviously can’t say for certain. But i’d really like to know for sure.

By: Jeeves

Jeeves — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 18:25:33 +0000

recoil…

By: Edna Cahill

Edna Cahill — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 10:47:32 +0000

Fire in the hole for cannon fire is the explanation I was given. I think some of the confusion arises from the shanty ‘Fire down below’, which names all the areas of the ship in turn where fire might occur, and includes fire in the hold (hole)

By: Ian Clark

Ian Clark — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:29:38 +0000

I come from a very old line of English sailors and the expression comes from when the touch paper was put to the fire hole in a ships cannon. The hole in the Cannon ( not the hole where the shot comes out but the firing hole)was filled with gun powder and it took a few seconds before the main charge went off. As a warning to the rest of the gun crew the firing master would shout “fire in the hole” . The old cannons had a feirce riccochet and it was a warning for everyone to get away from the cannon.

By: Ray Albrektson

Ray Albrektson — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:08:17 +0000

Gunpowder in warships has never been stored in the hold, but the magazine, and that includes Hornblower’s navy. The “hold” theory is pure wishful thinking.

By: Lorraine Kawecki

Lorraine Kawecki — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:55:03 +0000

I understood, more specifically, that “fire in the hole” meant sparks in the hold where the gunpowder was stored on the warships…indeed a dangerous situation. At least, that’s what I understand from the Horatio Hornblower novels.

By: Dan Lindsly

Dan Lindsly — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 03:12:05 +0000

I think it (fire in the hole) is actually “fire in the hold” as on a ship. In the days of wooden ships that was indeed a problem and was shouted as a warning that was possible life threatening. It has somehow become fire in the hole.

By: Massage Marketing

Massage Marketing — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 16:31:55 +0000

I think the phrase is originated during Industrialisation period by Miners and big construction (like dams) workers when an explosion was imminent for destroying rocks using gunpowder/bombs!!