I don’t have a TV and I leave my furnace off, but I am comfortable curled up next to my books and my computer with my trusty little heater sitting in close proximity atop a padded folding chair.

I read for long periods, and when I need a break, I watch Netflix Instant Watch. I was watching Anna Something, crime reporter (Swedish with subtitles). It was mildly exciting, but not near as exciting as the scene that transpired next to me.

First, the sound effects: zzzt! zzzt! I looked down and saw the padding of the chair on fire! Holy Moly, What was this? I lifted the heater and put out the fire with my hand and then pulled the plug of the heater out of the wall.

Once the smoke cleared, and, when I say “smoke cleared,” I am speaking literally, I went to Google to see if I could learn something from this event.

Forty-two percent of home structure fires originate in the kitchen. Peak hours for home fires are between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Almost two-thirds (62%) of reported home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.”

By the way, I discovered that I do have an alarm, but it is in the living room of my mobile home, and never went off. If they put only one sensor, why not put it in the kitchen, where the plurality of fires originate? I am certain the laws have changed since my metal box was built.

The U.S. Fire Administration says: “It's a recipe for serious injury or even death to wear loose clothing (especially hanging sleeves), walk away from a cooking pot on the stove, or leave items that can catch fire, such as potholders or paper towels, around the stove.”

How did all this apply to my fire? It seemed like the game “Clue” in reverse: it did not start in the kitchen, a working appliance was not left unattended, it was not between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., and I did have a working fire alarm. Clearly this was a statistical outlier.

It felt very unfulfilling not to be able to place blame. Then I had an epiphany. My fire was started by the Chinese. It was probably some slave laborer, who, unable to end his depression by leaping out of a high story window (after the cameras left, they put the suicide nets back on), decided to turn his anger outward, and left one of the wires inside the heater loose.

This will not be a problem immediately, but over time, the electricity will begin to arc, and then build up heat, until one day, flames shoot out. What at first seemed inscrutable now is transparent.

Nelson Strasser lives in Lakeport, Calif.