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This common household product destroyed a family home
Linseed oil, also called flaxseed oil, can protect your gardening tools, revitalise damaged furniture and clean your fireplace. It can also start a fire.
In 2014, Atlanta resident Shannon Priddy lost her Maryland home after contractors left linseed coated rags under her deck.
"We had no idea that anything like this could happen," she told US ABC News.
The incident is far from uncommon, with spontaneous combustion causing about 14,000 fires every year, according to the US National Fire Protection Association, and oily rags are the most common source of the flames.
Spontaneous combustion can also happen after oil-soaked rags are washed and dried in the dryer, due to the residual heat.
To keep your own home safe, stash dry rags in a covered metal container. Also, remember to watch out for other flammable household items like nail polish, nail polish remover, rubbing alcohol, hair spray and other aerosol cans. Always keep them in cool, dry places, away from hot showers and out of the sun.
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Have you had a scary moment like Shannon? Let us know in the comments below.
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