While Tom and Ned Newton are reviewing financial records, a fire breaks out at the fireworks factory in town.

During the mayhem created by the fire and the rescue, Mr. Baxter loses the formula, but he is positive that the owners of the factory have stolen it.

While observing the blaze, Tom wonders if there is not a more efficient way to fight the fire, especially having troubles with multi-storied buildings or skyscrapers.

Tom has several iterations of a promising chemical, which basically delivers carbon dioxide into the blaze in such quantity as to suffocate the fire in a very short period of time.

The formula is contained in special carboys which Tom terms grenades, designed to be dropped (either manually or automatically) from the air.