Came home yesterday after about four hours away, tired wanting to go to sleep. I walked in and immediately noticed a fairly thick cloud of acrid smoke in the house.
Let me tell you that will get the heart rate elevated, right now.
Smelled like plastic/ electrical fire, so I started looking for fresh tendrils of smoke (didn't hear any active fire, nor see flames). Checked the electric cook stove, off and cold. Checked every electric appliance in the house, no excessive heat.
Third round through the house, I am checking every outlet and light switch by feel for heat, nothing. By now I am starting to consider calling for help.
Walked in the bathroom and found it (out and cold, thank the lord). Still checked under the house for hot spots.
The cat had knocked over a spray can of starch (maybe sizing, but lets not quibble) a day or so before. Evidently it took a while for the plastic valve to fail and leak what must have been propane propellant. It got to the water heater pilot light and flames commenced.
Source of the plastic smell was a 7/8 melted ice cream bucket and about half of a container of dog shampoo.
Windows were opened for the first time this year and the fan turned on to desmoke the house. My dog was fine, the stupid cat was even fine.
It could have been worse, I could have turned the corner and saw a firetruck watering the foundation.
Moral of the story, be careful of aerosol containers anywhere close to an ignition source.
Robert