On completing their work Saunders and Watts discussed what they should do about the doors and windows they had opened to allow the vapour to escape. Saunders recalled a reference to a recent case he had read about in the newspaper in which repairers who had left doors open after they had finished their work had been held liable in damages when thieves had entered and stolen valuable contents. The two men then closed all the doors and windows and left the key on the kitchen table beside the stove. About 8 hours after Saunders and Watts left, an explosion occurred in the house and it was seriously damaged. On returning home from their vacation the Rusholmes found their home in ruins, and were dismayed to discover that they had neglected to renew the fire insurance policy, which had expired only a few days before they had left on vacation. The Rusholmes brought an action for damages against the firm of Saunders and Watts Lid. and against Standard Household Products Ltd