caught on fire
Flames suddenly appeared
Caught on fire means began burning, typically suddenly or unexpectedly: The curtains caught on fire from a stray candle.
The phrase emphasizes the moment ignition occurs rather than ongoing burning.
Interchangeable with *caught fire*, though the longer form is slightly more common in American speech.
- igniteStart burning something
- burst into flamesCatch fire suddenly
- wildfireUncontrolled vegetation blaze
- flamesVisible burning combustion
- charredBurned until black
burning · scorched · ember · blaze · combustion · spark · inferno · ash · incendiary · zeal · inspiration · fervor · conflagration · gone up in flames · up in smoke · burned · passion · accelerant