Potting Soil Apparent Apartment Fire Cause
The spontaneous combustion of potting soil left in a patio closet was the apparent cause of a fire that resulted in damage estimated at $11,000 but no injuries, fire officials said Monday.
Firefighters were summoned to a two-story apartment complex in the 22100 block of Rimhurst Drive at 1:50 p.m., where they found a patio engulfed in flames, said Kymbra Fleming, a spokeswoman for the Orange County Fire Authority.
Residents of the apartment were not home at the time of the blaze, which was controlled in 10 minutes by 15 firefighters, Fleming said.
Investigators said the fire was caused by potting soil, which can heat up during decomposition.
“It’s the same principle as oily rags,” Fleming said. “The safety tip on that is to store it in metal cans.”
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