Spontaneous combustion how does it occur

Mineral oils like white spirit, mineral turpentine or lubricating oil are not prone to self-heating and will not cause spontaneous ignition.

It is simple to prevent spontaneous ignition since oxygen is needed for it to occur. Materials subject to spontaneous ignition should be stored in sealed metal containers such as a safety can or rubbish bin.

The container will contain oxygen at first, but the oxidation process will soon use this up and the process will stop. Rags impregnated with linseed or other drying materials should either be immersed in water or, immediately after use, spread out in a safe place to dry. If it is necessary to transport oil or paint-soaked rags, they should be sealed in metal containers. Fires in commercial laundry facilities and sometimes also in hospitals and laundromats have been attributed to the spontaneous ignition of cotton or linen that has been dried and then either stacked while still hot or dumped into bins without cooling.

If the materials are stacked or binned at high enough temperatures above 90 degrees Celsius , the heat accumulated in the centre of the pile may be enough to trigger spontaneous ignition of the cotton materials. Fortunately, an employee saw the smoke and the fire was extinguished before significant damage occurred. Rags and towels soaked with oils, including cooking oils; hot laundry left in piles; large compost, mulch, manure, and leaf piles; and moist baled hay can spontaneously combust in the right conditions.

Avoid this type of fire by following a few simple and proven tips:. Employees Learn more about spontaneous combustion by viewing an ABC News video with Diane Sawyer , which demonstrates how a linseed oil-soaked rag spontaneously combusted.

Park Structural Fire Coordinators Keep watch for unsafe storage and disposal of oily rags in concession facilities and maintenance buildings. Park Leadership Prepare standard operating procedures SOPs that outline the proper disposal of oily rags and ensure that the proper storage containers are available for use.

Walk through your home or workplace and identify spontaneous combustion risks. Immediately remove the risk by taking appropriate measures, such as removing the pile of rags in your garage, or inform management of the fire hazard.

Contact the park's safety officer or park structural fire coordinator for approved disposal options. According to the U. Fire Administration, spontaneous fires are one of the leading causes of fires in agricultural storage facilities, such as barns, silos, and stables. Many NPS sites interpret cultural resources and operate historic farming operations that use or generate materials that can spontaneously combust, such as manure piles or soiled straw.

Structures storing hay and grain are at risk for fire, so proper storage of these materials is essential. Explore This Park. One recent hypothesis comes from British biologist Brian J. Ford, who in August described his experiments with combustion in the magazine New Scientist. According to Ford, a buildup of acetone in the body which can result from alcoholism, diabetes or a specific kind of diet can lead to spontaneous combustion.

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