A fire that resulted in the complete loss of an Oak Island, N.C., home was caused by rags saturated in oil-based stain, according to the Oak Island Fire Department.
The public safety departments were dispatched to the home early in the morning of Oct. 20 after the two occupants noticed the glow of fire from another room; they and a dog were able to evacuate the home.
When fire crews arrived shortly after, they found the home fully engulfed in flames. Although they were able to contain the fire in less than 45 minutes, the home was a complete loss, and minimal damage to a neighboring home was reported.
The investigation after the fire determined that the rags soaked with oil-based stain were discarded in an outdoor garbage cart, which was placed directly next to the home. The fire traveled up the home's exterior, where it entered the home's attic crawl space and spread to the rest of the home.
A drone video of the fire from the Oak Island Fire Department can be viewed here:
An overhead view of the destruction of the Oak Island, N.C., home after the fire caused by spontaneous combustion from rags soaked with oil-based stain.Oak Island Fire Department
