I remember back in '90, my car caught on fire. It was a volkswagon, and the battery is under the back seat. While reaching into the back, I apparently pressed the seat springs down far enough to make contact with the battery terminals. I, of course, was unaware of this, and walked away from the car. Minutes later, a maintanence man for my apartment complex saw smoke coming from inside my car. He grabbed a fire extinguisher, broke open one of my windows, and put out the fire (the whole interior was covered with yellow chemical retardent powder.)
Anyways, the manager called my apartment, and when I got back to the car, the fire department and police were there. One of the officers was talking to the maintenance guy, and then he came over to talk to me. He had to ask me if I wanted to press charges against the maintenance worker for breaking my window.
While I understand the basic necessity of asking the question, I was completely floored nonetheless. Of course, I DIDN'T press charges, but it was at that point I understood why the maintenance guy looked so concerned when the cop was talking to him. As for myself, I was grateful to him that all I had to replace was a broken window, rather than an entire car.