Re Polemis [1921] 3 KB 560

Court of Appeal

Facts: Petrol tins leaked, and workers accidentally caused a fire that destroyed the ship. The workers’ negligence led to the board falling, which ignited the petrol vapors.

Issue: Is a defendant liable for unforeseeable damage resulting from their negligent act?

Held: Defendants where liable for the fire. Defendants are liable for all direct consequences of their negligent acts, even if the specific type of damage was unforeseeable. The test is whether some damage was foreseeable, not the exact nature of the damage.