Improperly disposed of rags used for staining, spontaneously erupted into flames and sent the Saskatoon Fire Department responding about 4:20 this morning (tues) to a home on the 400 block of Kucey Crescent in Arbor Creek. Smoke and the smell of fire led someone to report the fire.

By the time they arrived, the occupants were already out of the home and the fire had been put out with a garden hose. The rags had been thrown into a garbage bin. Fire fighters opened parts of a wall to make sure the fire hadn’t extended towards the interior. Damage was pegged at about $4 thousand.

Last week, the Fire Department had to deal with another case of rags spontaneously igniting. That was in a garage in Montgomery Place that led to a $25 thousand fire.

The Fire Department is reminding people that rags soaked with paints, stains, finishing oils or solvents should be given an adequate time to dry in an open-air environment, away from other combustible material before being place in a metal container with a tight-fitting lid.