LAFAYETTE -- The spontaneous combustion of oily rags started a house fire on Wednesday that was big enough to be seen from state Highway 24, half a mile from the home at 1085 Marguerite Court in Lafayette.

The fire displaced the family who lived at the home and caused $65,000 in damage, according to the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.

Battalion Chief Dave George said the fire, which was reported at 8:53 p.m. by a neighbor, ignited in a pile of oily rags left behind several hours before by workers who were staining the home's wooden deck.

The family was away from their house at the time and though the owner knew not to leave oily rags in a pile on the deck, according to George, the workers who were staining the deck apparently did not.

It took 20 firefighters from the Contra Costa County and Moraga-Orinda fire districts 15 minutes to control the fire, which spread from the deck to the exterior of the house and the attic.

George said, "The fire damage was bad but this is a case where 10 more minutes of burning before our crews arrived would have easily caused the damage to be at least 10 times worse."

No injuries were reported and the family's two cats escaped unharmed.