MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Public Schools released surveillance video Friday showing the moments chemical-soaked rags spontaneously combusted inside garbage cans at Lincoln Avenue School, triggering a five-alarm fire.
WATCH: New surveillance video released by MPS in Lincoln Avenue School fire
The video, obtained by TMJ4 through an open records request, shows the moments the fire began. More than 100 firefighters battled the blaze from early morning on June 30 well into the afternoon, knocking out power in the neighborhood for a short time. No injuries were reported.
Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski announced the findings of the investigation on Monday, Aug. 10, saying surveillance video provided by MPS was critical to the investigation.
"No evidence to suggest this was an arson fire," Lipski said.
Lipski said there was "human error involved," adding that rags used by janitors cleaning the school were tossed into a garbage can.
Surveillance video from MPS shows custodial workers who were working during summer break to clean the building place chemical-soaked rags into a plastic garbage can at the end of the day.
Lipski said the chemical-soaked rags underwent small chemical reactions that produce heat and that rags placed on top confined that heat, causing temperatures to rise further in a cycle that ultimately resulted in spontaneous combustion.
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