A Winder Highway liquor store under construction caught fire as a result of spontaneous combustion late Thursday, a fire official said.

Firefighters responded to a report of a fire at the 10,000-square-foot building at the corner of Martin Road and Winder Highway at about 11:13 p.m. Thursday, Hall County Fire Marshal Scott Cagle said.

Firefighters entered the building, where smoke and fire was visible, and quickly extinguished the blaze. About $50,000 worth of damage was caused to the $300,000 building, Cagle said.

The suspected cause of fire was a pile of oily rags used for staining that spontaneously burst into flames inside the store, Cagle said.

Cagle said evaporation can produce heat in the rags that will eventually start a fire. It was the first case of spontaneous combustion Cagle could recall in about eight years.