| On the morning of Tuesday May 16, units from Sykesville, Gamber, Liberty Road, and Randallstown were alerted for smoke in the house with smoke alarms sounding at 6849 Autumn View Drive in Eldersburg.
Deputy Chief Ed Ruch, Jr. arrived to find a single story wood frame rancher style home with smoke showing from the front of the house. Smoke was found through out the structure with a small fire in a back bedroom. It was also found that the homeowner was in the house trying to extinguish the fire himself. He was taken out of the house suffering from minor smoke inhalation. He refused transport to the hospital.
Ladder 12 arrived on the scene within minutes of the dispatch; and the crew went to work on the interior, extinguishing the fire and checking for extension. The crew from Gamber Engine 134 checked for fire extension in the basement and ventilated the house.
Fire officials discovered that the homeowner was staining hardwood floors the night before; and discarded the stain soak rags into a cardboard box in a back bedroom. The rags spontaneously combusted and started to burn.
Crews worked for about an hour before clearing the scene.
The fire is a reminder not to store rags soaked in stain or other flammable materials together in a confined area, due to the risk of spontaneous combustion. The rags should be stored seperately, preferably out of doors away from combustible materials. |