One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Woman's Shorts Catch Fire When Beach Rocks Spontaneously Combust in Pocket
Photo by jag_cz via Shutterstock
You read that right: Rocks collected by a woman and her kids at an Orange County beach somehow combusted inside her cargo shorts.
The victim, a 43-year-old mother, was carrying in her pocket seven orange and green rocks gathered Saturday at San Onofre State Beach, reports City News Service.
Back at home, the rocks ignited inside her clothing. "She had been home for about an hour when the pocket of her cargo shorts caught fire, OCFA Capt. Marc Stone said," according to the OC Register.
The woman reacted by trying to "stop, drop, and roll," but couldn't get the flames out. Her husband came to her aid and yanked her shorts off, suffering second-degree burns himself in the process.
The couple got outside on the lawn, and the husband hosed off the wife, who ultimately
suffered third-degree burns. Emergency personnel called to the scene found them in front of the house.
Meanwhile, inside the house, things were still heated: "The rocks, described as small, the size of a hamburger patty, smooth and orange and green in color, fell from the shorts onto the floor and continued to burn the wood floor and fill the house with smoke."
Both were taken to an area hospital for treatment.
Sponsored message
The rocks, however, are now in the hands of Orange County Public Heath and tests are being conducted to determine just why the heck they caught fire inside the woman's shorts. Two of the rocks contained phosphorous, which is naturally occurring at the site where they were gathered, however, the other five rocks were cross-contaminated while being carried inside the shorts pocket. The tests could take a few weeks.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
