South Congress Hotel fire in Austin caused by oily rags

A small fire at the South Congress Hotel early Tuesday morning was caused by oily rags that spontaneously combusted in a laundry room, according to the Austin Fire Department.

The department received reports of smoke at the hotel, located at 1603 S. Congress Ave., around 12:30 a.m. The fire was contained to the laundry room and caused minor structural and smoke damage, AFD said.

No guests, residents or other occupants were injured.

Some people were evacuated as a precaution while crews cleared smoke from the building, AFD said. The hotel’s upper floors were not affected, and guests were allowed back inside after a couple of hours.

Oily rags can pose a fire risk because some oils release heat as they dry. If oil-soaked towels or rags are left crumpled in a pile, that heat can get trapped and continue building until the material ignites. The U.S. Fire Administration advises storing oily or solvent-wet rags in a tightly sealed metal container before discarding them, rather than leaving them loose in a pile or trash can.