Stain Rags Blamed for Fire that Caused Over $500K in Damage to Historic Home

Spontaneous combustion from stain rags was determined to be the cause of a fire that inflicted $538,898 in damage to a century-old home undergoing hardwood flooring renovations, Berks-Mont News reports.

The fire burned for an estimated 30 minutes before it was reported around midnight Feb. 20 by a passing ambulance that spotted smoke coming from the brick building. The cause of the fire was left as “undetermined” for a month because the long-burning blaze destroyed all evidence in the home, which was unoccupied and unfurnished at the time of the fire, according to the report.

On March 17, the fire marshal stated there is “a high probability that the fire was started by a spontaneous chemical causation created by stained rags being placed in layers in a plastic waste receptacle,” according to the report.

The house, located in Bern Township, Pa., was condemned for fear of potential collapse following the fire, which warped a steel beam that supported a large brick fireplace on the second floor. It was unclear whether the homeowners planned to rebuild.