Riding Lawn Mower Fire

We’re still in the middle of summer and right in the middle of lawn mowing season.  Everyone knows that lawn mowing is a necessary chore that has to be done.  Along with mowing the lawn comes keeping the lawn mower in good condition.  It’s very easy to neglect the mower once the mowing is done and not give a second thought to maintaining your mower.  So, what else is there besides changing the oil and replacing the blade every couple of years?  The answer is keeping the mower clean.  The grass clippings that accumulate on just about every surface of a mower can dry and become combustible.  But, nobody thinks about the possibility of a fire occurring after they’ve just finished cutting their grass.  The pictures below show what can happen to a riding lawn mower when it is not properly cleaned after each use.  This particular machine was stored in a warehouse when it ignited.  Luckily, the fire set off the sprinkler system and extinguished the fire before any real damage occurred.    

Riding mower engine fire caused by lack of maintenance

Dry/combustible grass debris observed on deck of riding mower

We know that the machine was not cleaned prior to storing because a similar machine was stored beside the one that ignited and also had dry grass clippings and on it.  The second mower is shown below. Fires are not limited to riding mowers. They can also occur in engine driven push mowers and large commercial machines. Keeping your mower clean is very simple to do. You can use a brush or an air blower. If your machine is equipped with a hose connection, you can wash away the debris. It really doesn’t matter what you use as long as you keep your mower clean.

Dry/combustible grass debris observed on deck of second mower