A small fire that caused only $50 in damage to the Bend Shilo Inn Wednesday was caused by the spontaneous combustion of grease and oily rags, said Battalion Chief Bill Boos of the Bend Fire Department.
More than a dozen fire personnel responded to the motel at 3105 O.B. Riley Road just before 9 p.m. September 13th to find light smoke coming from the housekeeping area. Firefighters entered the structure and found a small fire confined to a pile of rags. The fire was quickly extinguished and smoke was cleared from the building within an hour.
Boos reminds residents to store oily rags in a tightly sealed container in a cool, well-ventilated place a distance away from other combustibles; or to lay the rags out individually on a flat surface to dry completely before reuse.