A Monday night fire that damaged a pair of residential properties in west Edmonton was sparked by a cardboard box full of used paper towels, fire investigators revealed on Friday.
The fire started outside a single-storey home at 14515 88th Ave. in the Parkview neighbourhood. The fire, which started on the deck, spread to a detached garage next door. Water used to extinguish the fire also caused minor flooding to the basement of the second home.
Investigators with Edmonton Fire Rescue have determined the fire was caused by paper towels soaked with organic oils.
After being used to wipe down a hot surface, the paper towels were placed inside a cardboard and left on a wooden deck when they “self-heated” and began to burn, fire officials said in a statement on Friday.
A garage on the property was in flames when fire crews arrived around 11 p.m. that night. It was fully extinguished by 2 a.m.
No one was in the home by the time firefighters arrived on scene and there were no injuries.
Damages to the home and contents where the fire originated is estimated at approximately $175,000. Damage to the structure and contents of the neighbouring garage are estimated at $35,000.