The fire engines are ready to go in, and Arthur is worried that the infernal in the living room is watching them through the window. He begs the captain to put him to sleep, but the captain refuses, saying that the fire is like killing a man in cold blood. The captain says that he works out every day, and he wonders if there is a third party who would want to destroy the family's memories. He tells Arthur that his father was a courageous man, who stood against the flames and won. He says that Arthur's mother and father both kept him safe from the fire. Arthur is sorry that he couldn't save the family, but he vows to do everything in his power to stop the "spontaneous human combustion"