Spontaneous Combustion

spontaneous combustion, the outbreak of fire without application of heat from an external source. Spontaneous combustion may occur when combustible matter, such as hay or coal, is stored in bulk. It begins with a slow oxidation process (as bacterial fermentation or atmospheric oxidation) under conditions not permitting ready dissipation of heat—e.g., in the centre of a haystack or a pile of oily rags. Oxidation gradually raises the temperature inside the mass to the point at which a fire starts. Crops are commonly dried before storage or, during storage, by forced circulation of air, to prevent spontaneous combustion by inhibiting fermentation. For the same reason, soft coal in small size is wetted to suppress aerial oxidation.