In 1918, a chemical-fueled fire destroyed

In 1918, a chemical-fueled fire destroyed the inventor Thomas Edison’s factory in West Orange, New Jersey.. The flames consumed much of his life’s work, causing over two million dollars in damage. Yet, because the buildings were made of concrete and believed to be fireproof, they were insured for only $238,000. That December night, as the fire raged, Edison’s 24-year-old son, Charles, frantically searched for his father.

At last, he found him—standing calmly, watching the inferno. The fire’s glow illuminated his face, and…