Wet leaves spontaneously combust, cause Great Falls house fire

Fire Rescue said the attached garage was fully involved in the fire, which also extended to the attic space of the home. The first truck to arrive started an exterior fire attack and the second crew to arrive helped firefighters transition to an interior attack through the garage.

During the interior attack, firefighters quickly extinguished the main body of the fire in the garage while a third crew arrived and extinguished the attic fire, Fire Rescue said.

Fire Rescue said the garage “sustained extensive fire damage” and the home “sustained only minor smoke damage.”

Investigators concluded that the fire was an accident and was caused by “the spontaneous combustion of wet grass clippings.”

“Great Falls Fire Rescue would like to remind residents that while rare, wet grass clippings can generate heat as they decompose. If large amounts of grass are piled together, that heat can build up and potentially lead to spontaneous combustion,” Great Falls Fire Rescue wrote.

It said to prevent this, people should allow grass clippings to dry before piling, bagging or disposing of them.