Homeowner using flamethrower to melt snow sets house ablaze, Connecticut officials say
A Connecticut homeowner accidentally set their house ablaze while trying to thaw their property with a flamethrower, according to fire officials in the town of Seymour.
Firefighters responded to the scene of a house fire after 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 29., officials said in a Facebook post.
On the way, dispatch learned that the owner had been using a flamethrower to melt ice and snow and “accidentally ignited” the side of the home.
An exterior wall was in flames when firefighters arrived, but it was “quickly” extinguished and the home was saved, according to the post.
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“We do not recommend the use of flame-throwers or any similar devices as an attempt to melt ice,” the post said.
Seymour is about 8 miles north-west of New Haven.
While flamethrowers can be dangerous, they are sometimes used by farmers and ranchers for land management, and by firefighters performing controlled burns, outlets report.
They are legal to own, though some states, such as California, have barriers to ownership, Task & Purpose reported.
This story was originally published January 30, 2022 at 1:24 PM with the headline "Homeowner using flamethrower to melt snow sets house ablaze, Connecticut officials say."