The famous 86-year-old lightbulb in firehouse
in Livermore,
California, is still burning brightly.
"I refuse to even consider that it might
burn out," says Fire
Chief Mike Sample.
The amazing bulb was switched on in 1901 and,
except for
Occasional power outages and three moves to newer fire-
Houses, it has never been turned off.
This makes it the longest continuously-burning
lightbulb in
History and earns it a place in The Guinness Book Of World
Records.
It was manufactured by the Shelby Electric
Company, a firm
General Electric bought out many years ago.
"We're not even sure the bulb was new
when we got it," says
Batallion Chief Lynn Owens, in whose firehouse the tiny bulb
Burns.
"We're afraid that the minute we take
any steps to keep it out of
harm's way, something bad will happen. They just don't make
bulbs like that today. If they did, companies like GE would
probably no longer be in business. Look what happened to
Shelby Electric." |