SPOKANE, Wash. – Investigators have found that a Thursday house fire was caused by improperly disposed oil/stain rags that spontaneously ignited.
According to the Spokane Fire Department, crews responded to the 1900 block of E Marshall Ave. following reports of smoke coming from inside a vacant house being renovated.
Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire and contain it to the kitchen area.
There were no injuries reported to civilians or firefighters.
According to the fire department, one of the most common types of spontaneous combustion fires are caused by improperly disposed of oil and stain soaked rags.
Examples can included oil-based paints and stains, varnishes and polyurethane, paint thinners, etc.
Spontaneous combustion of oily rags can occur when a rag or cloth is slowly heated to its ignition point through oxidation. A substance will begin to release heat as it oxidizes.
If that heat has no way to escape, like in a pile, the temperature will raise to a high enough level to ignite the oil and ignite the rag or cloth.
The fire from this can spread quickly to other combustibles and cause significant damage to a residence or property.
