Conception trial begins

[USdiver1]

I thought the fire on the boat was caused by batteries... but I guess what I read was just someone speculating on the internet right after the accident.

Nobody has determined what exactly caused the fire, the Government's position as established through the ATF's forensic modeling of the main cabin, was that the fire began in a Rubbermaid Trash bin that was placed under the stairs. Cause or causes unknown.

 

[Wookie]

That's a thing?

Yes

 

[Seaweed Doc]

That, I knew and also about thermal runaway of lithium batteries but I didn't know that rags that sit in a trashcan can go up in flames just like that.

I thought the fire on the boat was caused by batteries... but I guess what I read was just someone speculating on the internet right after the accident.

I now work for the university my wife and I attended. While in college, she worked for Physical Plant in "the cage" where tradesmen could pick up supplies or tools needed for specific jobs and re-stock leftovers.

One Friday, late in the day, a tradesman gave her some linseed-oil soaked rags and asked her to toss them. So she did, in the garbage can at her work station. (In her defense, she was a 21 year old minimum-wage employee with no expectation for knowledge of the field beyond knowing where to grab item X and hand it to the person that asked for it.)

Thirty-five years later I'd talk to the now much older tradesman and they'd occasionally bring up the great garbage can fire of '87.

(Thankfully it was contained in the can. Also, she kept her job because she was very competent at the things she was trained to do. And given how dumb most college students are, she was refreshingly more competent than her predecessors or successors, and missed when she graduated.)

All to say she's now meticulous about disposing of oily rags.

 

[berndo]

One Friday, late in the day, a tradesman gave her some linseed-oil soaked ...

Ahh, ok, that rings a bell. I have heard about linseed oil rags that can self-ignite. When I read rjack's comment I was thinking of motor oil, like from the engine room on a boat, not that stuff you rub into wood. I was wondering why I had never heard of motor oil self-igniting.

 

[BackAfter30]

Ahh, ok, that rings a bell. I have heard about linseed oil rags that can self-ignite. When I read rjack's comment I was thinking of motor oil, like from the engine room on a boat, not that stuff you rub into wood. I was wondering why I had never heard of motor oil self-igniting.

You should have heard of that, as it is just as much of a thing. You go in to an auto/truck shop and you should find an airtight can for disposal of oily rags. Though, I fear you can find far too many that don't have them.

 

[The Chairman]

but I didn't know that rags that sit in a trashcan can go up in flames just like that.

Compression of the rags due to their weight concentrates the heat, until ignition. It's the same physics that allows diesels to run. Airtight cans won't stop the ignition, but they strangle the fire through lack of oxygen. Obviously, higher volatility usually means it will need less heat to ignite.

 

[DandyDon]

You should have heard of that, as it is just as much of a thing. You go in to an auto/truck shop and you should find an airtight can for disposal of oily rags. Though, I fear you can find far too many that don't have them.

While rags with motor oil are less likely to self combust, it can happen. See Spontaneous Combustion: Be careful with oily rags and absorbents I don't take chances with any oils. They go outside to dry, or are discarded spread out so not in a pile as that's how the heat builds up. I'm even leery of furniture oil on rags. I know that I am not knowledgeable enough to assign risks so I play it safe with all, along with solvents.

 

[rjack321]

Nobody has determined what exactly caused the fire, the Government's position as established through the ATF's forensic modeling of the main cabin, was that the fire began in a Rubbermaid Trash bin that was placed under the stairs. Cause or causes unknown.

Yep and as this thread highlights, there are potential sources of ignition in that trash can other than a obvious cigarette type situation. The fire (dragged anchor, etc) you didn't imagine could happen is the whole point behind the COI requiring a roving and awake night watch.

 

[happy-diver]

So what percentage of participants indulge in intoxicating substances before bunk on trips like this, these days

 

[KevinNM]

That's a thing?

There was a carpenter in youtube who ran out of content ideas and decided to test the whole oily rags can ignite in a structured experiment. He predicted it would be boring but instead something like 3 out of 16 ended up having to be dragged outside and drowned. Don’t put them in a plastic garbage can, especially with flammable trash.