Fire damages Riverside Drive house

COLUMBUS, Ind. - A Riverside Drive home sustained fire damage on Tuesday afternoon after stain-soaked rags ignited following a home improvement project. The Columbus Fire Department (CFD) was called to the 3400 block of Riverside Drive at 4:45 p.m. after a neighbor noticed smoke coming from a second-story window.

When firefighters arrived, they confirmed smoke coming from the home and marked a working residential fire. Crews deployed a hose line to the front of the home and quickly extinguished flames to prevent fire growth within the residence.

Damage was isolated to a single bedroom, but smoke and heat damage were visible throughout the home, which was unoccupied.   

Investigators interviewed the homeowners and learned they had just stained the wooden flooring in the bedroom. An oil-based product and cloth application items used during the staining process had been left in the area believed to be the origin of the fire.    

CFD Fire Marshal Troy Todd said, "When an oil-based stain or varnish undergoes a drying process, a chemical reaction called exothermic oxidation occurs. It can create a significant amount of heat, especially if the oils have soaked onto an applicator cloth. The reaction can cause the spontaneous combustion of the cloth material from the heat generated during this drying stage of the stain."   

Fire investigators ruled the fire accidental. No injuries were reported during the incident.