Faber, through the earpiece, tries to figure out what’s going on. Montag stands around dazed that this is happening to him.

Faber realizes what’s up and advises Montag to run. Meanwhile Beatty has flicked his igniter and is admiring the beauty of the fire. Man is drawn to flame, he says, because it is perpetual motion; it is the one thing man always wanted to invent but never did. Fire will rid him of his burdens – like Montag.

Beatty insists that Montag burn his entire house himself, with a flame thrower.

Montag goes in and starts burning – the bedroom, the cosmetics, Mildred’s stuff. This is all very satisfying for him, but Beatty reminds him that, actually, he’s there to burn the books, remember?

He burns everything, the dreaded television screens in the parlour. When he’s finished, Beatty intends to arrest him.

By the time the burning house falls down, it’s 3:30 in the morning. The firemen, including Captain Beatty, are standing outside watching it fall.

Beatty makes many sarcastic comments, making fun of Montag and belittling him in every way, he then starts hitting him, and Faber begs him to run away through the earpiece. Finally, the Captain hits him hard enough to knock the earpiece out. Beatty picks it up and hears Faber calling. He tells Montag that they’ll trace it and find his friend.

Montag points the flame thrower at Beatty – though he believes his hands, not he himself, have done it.

Beatty laughs, obviously not taking the threat seriously.

Montag burns Beatty to ashes. Then he knocks out the two remaining firemen.

As the Hound clamped onto his leg, stabbing the needle momentarily before being lifted into the air by the fire, it shattered at the joints, and its interior exploded in a single flush of red, resembling a skyrocket affixed to the street. Montag lay there, observing the lifeless yet animated creature twirl in the air and perish.

He helped him with the right indications of how to get (safely or not) to the river.