# fire in the hole

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-the-hole/165711>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 1, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-the-hole/165711 "2003-04-01T14:53:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rachelvis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@rachelvis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rachelvis)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-the-hole/165711/1 "2003-04-01T14:53:48Z")

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Could anyone tell me where the expression ‘fire in the hole’ originally comes from?

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-the-hole/165711/2 "2003-04-01T14:58:22Z")

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I believe it is originates in mining; it would be called out before explosives were detonated.

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**Author:** ![Hobie\_the\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e99b99/32.png) [@Hobie\_the\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hobie_the_One)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-the-hole/165711/3 "2003-04-01T14:59:57Z")

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[Link](http://www.allexperts.com/previousqv.asp?QuestionID=2612534)

[Link](http://phrases.shu.ac.uk/bulletin_board/8/messages/592.html)

Happy Reading:)

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**Author:** ![RiverRunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/977dab/32.png) [@RiverRunner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RiverRunner)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-the-hole/165711/4 "2003-04-01T15:23:57Z")

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Mexican food!

RR