Posted on 02/02/2026 6:27:55 AM PST by DFG
This blows!
A Massachusetts man accidentally set his home on fire while using a blowtorch to melt ice stubbornly clinging to his roof after the winter storm that battered the Northeast last week.
The homeowner in Milton, Mass. decided to get creative while attempting to tackle the sheets of ice cemented to his roof.
He whipped out a blowtorch, scaled a ladder and got to work.
But minutes into the endeavor, his roof caught fire and flames spilled into the gutter, Local 12 reported.
The man was able to slide off the ladder and rushed inside to call 911.
When firefighters arrived not long after, the attic was entirely swallowed up by the inferno, according to the report.
Flabbergasted neighbors told the outlet that “the whole roof was consumed” in a matter of minutes.
“We pulled the gutter off that side of the building thinking it was going to be a light fire, and the whole attic was fully involved,” Milton Fire Deputy Chief John Earner told the outlet.
The frigid temperatures, which haven’t risen above freezing since Winter Storm Fern made landfall on Jan. 25, only strengthened the flames.
Firefighters battled the dual elements for hours until the fire was under control.
“When it’s cold like this, we need a lot of help. So, we did have a lot of outside towns come and help us,” Earner told Local 12.
“Just get a professional company to take care of your ice,” the chief advised. “I mean, don’t get hurt. I mean, don’t go up on your roofs.”
No injuries were reported, and the fire was contained to the lone home.
With temperatures showing no signs of rising until later this week, some are resorting to drastic measures to beat the big freeze.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Similar a couple of years ago in a Maine midcoast town. Fellow went into the crawl space under his home and used a blow torch to thaw a pipe. He left to go to work and forgot the torch was on. His wife woke to smoke filling the house. Total loss.
I bet he won’t do that again.
Now there’s a Gene Pool we won’t be missing.
Well it worked in rehearsal
Yeah but did he get the ice off his roof?
Man, this really sounds like a bad idea.
Insurance company closes the file on that customer.
Just getting on that roof looks dangerous enough.
We used to use blowtorches to remove old paint from houses. Zlways was nervous about doing 5hat though. Always had buckets of water and fire extinguisher, and we ‘d soak the boards first, then do the burning.
Darwin award candidate.
Most roofs have vents for airflow to cool the roof and stop moisture buildup that act as a chimney and spread fire fast.
He should have thrown salt on his roof to melt the ice. /sarc
Too bad.
Correct.
One out of millions.
So now they're naming snowstorms like they name hurricanes?
It's now accumulating in the second story. ;-)
Spraying it with hot water from a hose would have helped somewhat. Hot water melts hard ice stuck in an ice maker placed in a kitchen sink instantly.
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