JOHNSON COUNTY, Iowa (KCRG) – One eastern Iowa fire department says it doesn’t often get calls about fires started by spontaneous combustion, but that’s what happened at a Cedar Rapids house this weekend.
The likely cause? Rags from a home remodeling project.
Several Cedar Rapids firefighters received minor injuries while battling a house fire over the weekend. Fire officials told TV9 the likely cause of the fire was improperly stored rags used in a home remodeling project that had been soaked in petroleum.
”They need to be allowed to vent because in the drying process, they throw off heat and if they’re wadded up and left, then they can generate enough heat then they can generate enough heat to actually start a fire,” said Doug Christner, the owner of Ace Hardware in North Liberty.
He said two main products could self-combust if disposed of improperly: solvents and oil-based items. That includes items like turpentine, linseed oil and even oil-based deck stains.
“It’s not …