Austin firefighters respond to blazes caused by spontaneous combustion of tortilla chips

AUSTIN, Texas (KEYE) - Tortilla chips are often the instrument with which we Central Texans deliver hot foods to our mouths, like queso, salsa or even fajitas. But last week, the Austin Fire Department found some tortilla chips that were hot enough on their own.

AFD shared photos on Facebook of a fire at a tortilla chip factory in East Austin last week that was caused by the spontaneous combustion of tortilla chips.

For real.

It happened July 12 at 6110 Trade Center Drive. AFD says the factory was trying out a new blend of chips that "didn't work out so well." That fire was contained to the exterior of the building, and ignited several other boxes of food waste.

Then, three days later, additional boxes of the same tortilla chips spontaneously ignited again. Firefighters contained that fire and drowned all of the other boxes that had yet to catch fire.

There was no damage to any structures in either fire.