Cigarette Fires can Smolder for 18 Hours!

8/12/2022 (Permalink)

If you experience any fire damage, please call SERVPRO of Ottumwa & Grinnell at 641-672-0872.

It’s Jacob,  Digital Marketing Support Coordinator, and I wanted to talk about a trend I’ve noticed while going to fire-damaged properties. Cigarette fires have become a culprit for a noticeable amount of house fires in our franchise area. This isn’t casting shade on the cigarette smokers, as I once occasionally enjoyed a cigarette here and there.  

The problem we are seeing is with the record temperatures we have faced this summer; planters are drying out faster. When you think the cigarette is extinguished, you will be surprised by the amount of heat still being produced. If the cigarette is ignited, it can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 18 hours for the soil to reach the perfect temperatures to ignite into flames. 

The CBS Minnesota location took the blog image after they tested how fast a cigarette can cause a planter to ignite into flames. One of the easiest ways to prevent this is by filling the container with water which will fully extinguish the cigarette while eliminating the heat it can produce.