'they used to catch fire for a past-time'
Somewhat harsh methinks. In the 70s fire warnings were admittedly quite commonplace but the majority were indeed warnings not actuals. The trouble was that the outcome of a real fire warning was potentially terminal as one engine had a nasty habit of 'infecting' its neighbour. The fire integrity programme in the mid 70s isolated the two engine bays and things were a lot better thereafter.