Oily rags started July fire at new F.H. Collins school in Whitehorse

A small fire at Whitehorse's new F. H. Collins Secondary School in July could have been prevented if basic safety rules had been followed, CBC News has learned.

The fire started in the early hours of July 22, in a bag of oily rags. According to an emailfromClark Builders, the main contractorbuilding the new school, workershad been varnishingthe gymnasium floorand left someused rags in a garbage bag.

Oily rags produceheat through oxidation, and will spontaneously burst into flames if they get hot enough. A fire inspection at F.H. Collins determined that's what happened.

"Luckily, the sprinklers had been installed and the sprinklers actually extinguished the fire. So that was lucky for us," said Wayne Smyth, who investigated the fire.

Smyth said he believes the risk of spontaneous combustion iscommon knowledge among contractors.

"The National Fire Code actually stipulates that rags and materials that are used in floor finishing have to be disposed of outside of the building, and they should be disposed of at the end of every work day," Smyth said.

All oils a potential hazard

Yukon College carpentry instructor Don Gilliesagrees and saidthere are safety steps everyone should follow including people working with varnish-soaked rags at home.

"At the very least, do not bunch them up and leave them lying on the floor inside your house. Don't put them into containers with other combustibles," Gillies said.

He recommends laying rags outside to dry, then disposing of them in a sealed can with water.

"I would recommend treating all oils as a potential hazard," Gilliessaid.

The city of Whitehorse won't acceptoily rags at the landfill, as they are considered hazardous waste.The city collects hazardous waste twice a year, in May and September.

The F. H. Collins fire caused some water damage from the sprinklers, but Yukon government officials say construction is still on schedule. The new school is slated to open in January.

CBC contacted the contractor, Clark Builders, but has not received a response.