very close call w/house fire

[big bubba]

somewhere out there i have a lucky star...other night woke up @ 2:30 am, something wasn't right, weird smell. poked my head outside, yup, someone must be burning something. almost went back to bed, but did a house check....opened garage door, totally filled w/smoke. saw that a rag was smoldering (coals!) about to ignite. was resting against a bottle of stabil, and had containers of motor oil on above shelf.
the culprit? LINSEED OIL cloth i had used earlier that day. yes, i know linseed went through a heat when curing, but forgot & had tossed rag next to my mechanic rags earlier that day....within a few minutes everything would have ignited. THOSE WARNINGS ON LINSEED ARE REAL!!! take any soaked cloth outside & spread to dry.....who could have imagined an organic base oil would do it....i did but didn't think....something was watching over me!!!! thank you good fortune!

 

[sfloggie]

Bubba,

I am glad the Lord is with you and you have a sensitive nose. Best thing I could read first thing this morning.

Good weekend.

Jim

 

[PeterK]

Good lesson for all of us. I have a rag can but sometimes I'll leave a rag out if it isn't that dirty. No more. Thanks in advance for my good fortune.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

Wow! You are very lucky!

 

[Stihlrunner]

After years as a volunteer fireman I am absolutely paranoid about oily rags. I have a rag can but usually end up throwing the rags out in the driveway to be thoroughly rained on! It's Oregon, so there is an abundance of rain most the year.

 

[treman]

I have had visions of similar things happening when I was re-wiring my cub. I had forgotten to disconnect the battery at one point and It had been discharging. lucky I remembered or the whole thing may have gone up. Don't know for sure but it sure made me nervous. It makes for a few sleepless nights following an incident like this. I'm glad to know it all worked out for the best however and that all is OK

 

[vwnotrunning]

Great to hear all is good. We all need yo be reminded of hazards! I know I tend to get lazy & absent minded.

 

[txdon]

The drying oils are the problem oils that can spontaneously ignite on rags. The oily rags of petroleum oils do not spontaneously ignite at ordinary temperatures, but they can if expose to hot temperatures or are use in combination with one of the drying oils. Of course the petroleum rags are a ready fuel for a source of ignition like a grinding or welding spark (or a discarded cigarette).

"Drying oils are commonly found in paints and varnishes due to their drying effects and they are the non-saturated oils found in vegetable and animal
products. Some examples include linseed oil, soya bean oil and tung oil. Saturated hydrocarbon oils such as those found in petroleum products are not susceptible to spontaneous heating at normal temperatures."
http://www.tcforensic.com.au/docs/uts/essay6.pdf

"The saturated hydrocarbon oils such as found in petroleum products are not subject to self-heating or spontaneous ignition at ordinary temperatures."
interFIRE, A site dedicated to improving fire investigation worldwide.

 

[creekbend]

I am sincerely glad that everything turned out positive.

 

[big bubba]

thanks to all listening....sometimes when i get caught up in my own gloomy thinking, a big pic (non) event like this makes me grateful!!