You wouldn't think an ordinary bathroom fan could cause a fire, but it can happen. This fan caught on fire in a home near Communications Hill in San Jose. Luckily the physical damage of the fire was confined to the bathroom (the ceiling and one spot on the floor where a piece of the melted fan had fallen). But as we know in the restoration business, in a fire sometimes the smoke is the worst enemy.
This relatively minor fire caused a fine layer of ash to be deposited across the entire home, even getting inside closed cabinets and drawers.
It is very important not to eat any food or drink any beverages (even those stored in a refrigerator) that do not have a hard seal. Smoke from home fires often contains petroleum-based chemicals that can be very hazardous if consumed.