'Spontaneous combustion' of rags caused yacht fire

The fire went out on its own and was only discovered later

Incorrectly stored oily rags caused a "spontaneous combustion" leading to a fire on a yacht in December, the Ports of Jersey (PoJ) has said.

Crew onboard the private boat had used oil and white-spirit to clean the anchor locker, putting the contaminated rags in an airtight plastic box.

PoJ said the rags had been smouldered from "heat buildup" caused by a chemical reaction - melting the box lid. The fire exhausted itself and was only discovered later.

The fire service said eight similar instances occurred in the last five years - usually caused when towels, chefs clothing or tea towels had been "laundered then placed in the tumble dryer".

'Materials pose risk'

The yacht had smoke damage and other minor repairs were needed, which PoJ said highlighted the "fire risks of improper rag storage".

It said although the yacht was equipped with fire detectors, there was not one in the anchor locker - not a requirement "for this particular vessel".

PoJ advised boat owners to prepare their vessels ahead of the summer season.

"It is crucial to be particularly vigilant about the storage and disposal of oily or used cleaning rags," it said.

"These materials can pose a significant risk of spontaneous combustion if not handled properly."