Man using cutting torch to thaw ice accidentally sets house on fire

South Coast Today ^ | 12/23/08

[NRA1995]

A home-owner using a blowtorch to melt ice on his back porch accidentally set fire to his North End triple-decker Monday, officials said.

The blaze at 107 Davis St. caused $20,000-$30,000 worth of damage and displaced several residents, Fire Capt. Scott Kruger said

Capt. Kruger said the building's owner was trying to melt the snow and ice on the back porch using a large torch hooked up to a 20-pound propane cylinder.

He got too close to the building's wood frame and ignited the vinyl siding. The fire quickly spread into the building's uninsulated exterior wall and chased into the second and third-floor apartments, Capt. Kruger said.

The fire damaged the rear bedrooms in the second- and third-floor apartments, and caused extensive damage to the structure and electrical wiring.

[aomagrat]

[ClearCase_guy]

I am a MA resident and I have lived in a triple-decker in the fine city of Cambridge where I was associated with a well-known university. I believe the phrase you are looking for could be translated as, “This chablis is charming. Is that brie over there? Be a dear and hold my glass, would you?”

[Cecily]

Next time he will know to use a hair dryer.

[voteNRA]

Thanks for the clarification, I didn’t know “off with ones package” qualified, but it certainly makes sense!

[WayneS]

Hold my beeeeee-ah?

[IrishPennant]

Wait....you say he did what? Oh for cryin' out loud

[ssaftler]

Mebbe in the Hah-vahd section of Cambridge. Most of Cambridge would be Wild Irish Rose or Thunderbird, if you wanna get technical about it.

This was in the North End, though. Chianti or Strega is more likely then Chablis.

[ElectricStrawberry]

Ah yes....one of Barney Frank’s constituents.....

[ElectricStrawberry]

Or as we say up here.....”three-deckah”...

[Red_Devil 232]

Hold Muh Beaah?

[garyhope]

Damn, you beat me to it.

Love your tagline.

[tacticalogic]

Cactus burner! I never thought to use one to thaw ice.

I've thawed out underground plastic water lines with an arc welder. Clamp on end on the meter and the other end on the main shutoff valve inside the house.

[NonValueAdded]

yep, be-ah. but more likely “hold m-eye be-ah”

[Slings and Arrows]

“Freshen that up for the Senator.”

[ReeseBN38416]

If he lived here in Texas, we would be reading about him buring his entire house down, frying a turkey in his garage...

[gundog]

STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES...

Aw. c'mon...the ice musta melted in the fire. Keep your eves on the prize...

[blackie]

And these fools vote! *sigh*