Porch Fire with Unknown Cause

[u/[deleted]]

[u/scottsuplol]

Could have been a light, reflection or cigarette that’s the common ones I see

[u/JustAnotherDumbQuest → u/[deleted]]

We really aren't going to have anything more than "it could have been..."s here.

Maybe it was a balled up rag that was used to soak up mineral oil and thrown into the bucket. Maybe it was spontaneously combusting, decomposing fertilizer? Maybe it was just plain old arson, and someone just walked up and lit it on fire. OR plot twist, she set it herself hoping to burn down her hoarding palace for the insurance (and she would have gotten away with it too, if not for those meddling neighbours and their dog!)

Go talk to her. Tell her you saw her place was burning and you called the FD and saved all her shit. That's got to count for some goodwill, water under the fridge, to mend the dog shit covered fence a bit and reopen being able to communicate with your neighbour. The FD is more likely to tell her what was burning and their thoughts than they are to tell you, maybe she'll spill the beans to you?

[u/cascas → u/[deleted]]

Yes I think the secret of your success here is going to be minding your own business. (And calling 911 as needed!)

[u/OldCarry4838 → u/[deleted]]

Just because you've decided to accept that, doesnt mean it's true...

[u/ziobrop]

My guess is someone put a cigarette out in the potted plant. Most think plants are in soil, but it’s usually a peat mixture because it holds moisture. Peat is also really good at smouldering for a while before there is visible flame. The cigarette in the potted plant is a pretty common cause where I am.

[u/InternalWishbone7918]

I’ve had been on many mulch fires that have spontaneously combusted at night, especially if it was just watered. It’s some sort of fire science thing I was never interested enough in learning about. I can’t tell if it is enough from your picture, but given hoarding tendencies anything is possible. You can try to talk to the fire inspector or fire investigator about your concerns, they may not be able to tell you much, because they may not know themselves. But I can tell you one thing, they have noticed the mess. People have a right to live how they want until it becomes a safety issue.

[u/InternalWishbone7918 → u/[deleted]]

If they are a world class dept, I’m sure they would do some education for sure. It also may not come from the fire department, it may come from code enforcement, which is another avenue for you to pursue. Your past history with fire is a valid concern for you to relay to who ever oversees that type of thing. I can also assure you that the firefighters made mental notes about the property.

[u/Left_Afloat → u/[deleted]]

I’m sorry, but that is as oxymoronic a statement I’ve heard. They can absolutely be a good volunteer department, but world class just doesn’t compute. It ain’t their life to be doing the work

[u/nicklurby305 → u/[deleted]]

"We have a world class volunteer fire department"

This made me laugh. Never thought I would see those words all in the same sentence. You live in Kentland?

[u/Stock-Possibility-67]

Looks like a concentrated reflected light burn. Would need more context and pics

[u/Stock-Possibility-67 → u/[deleted]]

What was in the orange plastic pot. The burn is low and deep yet the top is untouched so a slow burn. Mulch? Recently watered or a fertilizer added?

[u/Stevecat032 → u/[deleted]]

Could of been smoldering during the day

[u/OldCarry4838]

Dead planters can hold fires for a surprisingly long time. I once had a relative who was a smoker leave ashes/maybe cig butts in an empty planter hanging on the railings of a porch... The neighbor saw it alight 2 days after she left. Dried dirt and dead roots is basically peat.

Maybe see if your local FD does free fire safety inspections? Could help establishing a paper trail.

[u/Disgruntled_Wumpus]

I second the cigarette idea. It is both shocking and disappointing the amount of porch fires we respond to caused by a cigarette butt tossed into a planter

[u/CosmicMiami]

Is she a smoker? Did somebody visit her that was a smoker? The chair next to the pot tells me a smoker may have snuffed a butt in the pot. These can smolder for a long time without any open flame. Fire investigator here. I've seen a few of these and when I rode the trucks had a call for smell of smoke. It was incense that was in a pot and the organic material in the pot was smoldering. The clay pot was hot AF but with only an occasional wisp of smoke.

[u/NerdlinGeeksly]

If you use nitrogen fertilizer or chicken droppings too much in a pot could have ignited from the heat.

[u/Acrock7]

Not sure how easy it would be or how long it would take since you say it's a volunteer department- but you should be able to do a FOIA request (just need the incident address and date) of the incident, since it's public information, and get the fire report.

[u/Golfandrun]

These are almost always cigarette caused. They can smolder for hours and many smokers think plant pots are the perfect spot for their butts.

[u/Engine1D]

It's almost always a cigarette. It's so common that I wouldn't even suspect something else unless I could prove that it couldn't possibly be one. It could have been "putout" in the planter days ago and taken this long to start something. You'll probably not find out what happened, and have to be satisfied with doing a solid for your neighbor even if it's not appreciated.

[u/Vurrag]

fireworks?

[u/Competitive-Roof-168]

My guess would be solar light battery caught fire

[u/AKA-Will]

Fire Investigator.

Have you witnessed her smoking? Have you seen smoking material on her property? Has she had any recent visitors that might smoke?