Pyrophoric charring? Alternate title: why did my house burn down?

Spaightlabs

Egged yesterday am. Cooked 3 lbs of party wings, 2 pounds of thighs, a 2 pound lamb roast, 3 lbs of burgers and 2 lbs of carne asada. Never went above 375, ran the egg from 8:00 to 11:00 am, put the ceramic cap on, shut the vent, and went to the Rockies - Dodgers game. Rained like a mother. Got home around 4pm., rained for another 4 hours, including raining on the egg. Went to bed at 9. At 1:30 am woke to a loud crash and a jet engine like WOOSH. Grabbed the Glock and a flashlight and wheeled out of bedroom. Got 15 feet and realized something was terribly wrong, it was way too bright and way too loud. Wheeled back to the bedroom, woke my wife and got my dogs moving towards the door, which was towards the fire which was now very busy destroying my living room. Got the wife and one dog out, and my 13 year old female ran back to the bedroom. Figured if I had to we could get out the bedroom window so went back after her. Grabbed here off the bed and sprinted as fast as a guy in a brace (knee surgery 10 days ago) can go. Got out with my family and a pair of boxers. [URL=http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/spaightlabs/?action=view&current=fa3e5985a60be4ff48b241a0b41c8621_zps55872e78.jpg][IMG]http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/spaightlabs/th_fa3e5985a60be4ff48b241a0b41c8621_zps55872e78.jpg[/IMG][/URL] The view from the side yard. My living room. Wife said it felt like 150 degrees when she went out - I never noticed the heat. [URL=http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/spaightlabs/?action=view&current=9685b05f41e7bd7e2bbedca289c3c2ad_zps5f9270d5.jpg][IMG]http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/spaightlabs/th_9685b05f41e7bd7e2bbedca289c3c2ad_zps5f9270d5.jpg[/IMG][/URL] The dining room [URL=http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/spaightlabs/?action=view&current=fa3e5985a60be4ff48b241a0b41c8621_zps55872e78.jpg][IMG]http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/spaightlabs/th_fa3e5985a60be4ff48b241a0b41c8621_zps55872e78.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Got back in this morning. Guns safe in the gun safe. Got my laptop with pictures and our wedding photos. That's about what's left between the fire and the smoke, but I have what's important. Near as the Fire Investigator can tell the egg table is where it started. 14 hours after I shut it down. After 2 inches of rain...no compromise in the ceramic of the egg as near as we could see... Gonna be without a house and egg for 6 to 8 months. The egg is going in a metal table and on the concrete patio next go around.

Tjcoley

Holy crap! Thankfully you all got out safe. That is really scary. How close to the house was the Egg?

Lit

Wow that's crazy. My XL may be going to a nest until I can afford a stainless table. Glad everyone is safe.

Tjcoley

Interesting statistics on house fires from grills. http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v11i1.pdf Most are caused by gas.

nick_banich

Uhh wow

HawkeyeEgghead

Very sorry about your home and glad everyone is okay.  I used to dream about a nice wood table and often admire the tables on Naked Whiz's site but I'm sticking with the nest.  I can't see your photos but rest assured, your post sealed my thoughts to move forward with pouring a concrete patio.  Time to move off the deck away from anything combustible.  Good luck in the upcoming days and keep us posted of the recovery.

Fred19Flintstone

Fire is scary when out of control!  I'm glad you and your family are safe.

nolaegghead

http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/spaightlabs/?action=view&current=fa3e5985a60be4ff48b241a0b41c8621_zps55872e78.jpg

http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/spaightlabs/?action=view&current=9685b05f41e7bd7e2bbedca289c3c2ad_zps5f9270d5.jpg

BYS1981

Glad everyone is ok, that's scary stuff.

nolaegghead

Sorry that happened.  A friend of mine had a house fire last Monday in KC....from a hair dryer that was turned off but defective, his wife had used it before they left.  He's out for 4 months while they replace all the sheetrock floors, kitchen, bathrooms and all contents.  Similar story except they were out shopping.  Lost a cat too.

Anyway, hang in there.   Stuff is replaceable and life isn't.

cazzy

Very glad your family got out okay. Dodged a bullet for sure.

Ultimately, I honestly have to say the forum failed you bro. Had I really looked at this picture, I would have told you your table needed more room to breathe.



Sorry man. :(

nolaegghead

Well, I just told SWMBO about the fire (read your post) and now she's now 1000% behind my outdoor kitchen project.  Currently our eggs are on a connected back covered wood deck.

jllbms

I am so sorry, man. I've been there with the table, too. God blessed me with limiting the fire to the table. Hug your family. I pray for peace for you.

GATABITES

Sorry about what happened. Stay positive as this time will pass. Glad no one was injured.

caliking

Holy mother of jeebus. So glad that your family is safe. As mentioned above, material goods can be replaced, but loved ones can't.

hapster

Scary as hell... So happy everyone is safe. Hope the recovery and rebuilding goes well

TexanOfTheNorth

Glad everyone is okay.

johnmitchell

Wow..As everyone has said before me Thank God you and your family and pets are okay..

Austin Egghead

Wow! Glad you and the family are ok. Other half thinks I am paranoid cause I check the eggs and the yard several times after I shut them down.

Griffin

Dang!! So sorry to hear about your loss., but at least you and yuor family are safe. Thoughts and prayers to you in these difficult times [-O<

pescadorzih

Thank God, you and your family got out OK. Sorry for your loss.
I'm glad I went with concrete instead of building a counter with wood.

johnkitchens

I am so sorry. I am glad all of you made it out. That is really scary.

Smokinpig

That is scary. Luckily you woke in time to get out and everyone is safe.

lousubcap

That is a very sobering post.  Glad all are okay. 

SJ21XDC

Sorry about the loss - glad you and your family are ok!

NDG

WOW, glad you and your family are safe.  Thanks for sharing your story because it makes us all consider the risk and prepare our cooking area(s) accordingly.

tksmoke

Thanks for sharing - your catastrophic fire is truly a sobering thought.  Normally this is all fun and games, but we are playing with fire.  It's hard to imagine how an event like this can turn your life upside down.  But then we all get a chance to reflect on what is really important in our lives.  All the best to you and your family as you move on to rebuilding and renewal.

BulldogNation

So sorry. Thanks for sharing. Glad you are ok.

plumbfir01

Glad your family is safe. This is the very reason I went away from a table I. First place

Tim (Watkinsville)

Man, and here I am just getting my outdoor kitchen built with, yep, wooden tables. I have an XL and a Medium. The furniture is all custom built with will have granite working surfaces. I am now concerned about the fire hazard. To that end, I goggled up some egg table images and a lot of what I see are wooden tables that don't have a lot of clearance between the egg surface and the wood. My eggs are sitting on cement pavers that should provide adequate insulation for the bottom of the eggs. How much clearance should I have between the egg and the wood?

I am for sure going to get a fire extinguisher to have out there. Any advice on this would be much appreciated. 

KiterTodd

Hoooooooolllllyyyy crap.  Glad everyone is okay, very very sorry to hear about the loss of your home and so many memories, and thanks for sharing this experience.

I've read a lot of the warnings on here (I have my egg in a nest on my wooden deck) and I don't leave the house based on what I've read.  However, once I put the cap on and close all the vents I've felt that I'm pretty safe.

Can someone provide more analysis to what could have happened here?
Is this particular issue due to a wooden table that did not provide enough venting?
Is there a considerable risk of any closed up egg continuing a slow burn that could ultimately drop an ember that lights up the house?

Again, scary stuff and I'm glad to read people and dogs are well.  Wow.