Bug-Bomb Explosion Rip House Apart

nbc san diego ^ | December 17, 2003 | staff

[Not gonna take it anymore]

NBCSandiego.com

Bug-Bomb Explosion Rip House Apart

19 Defoggers Create Gas 'Bomb'

POSTED: 11:43 AM PST December 17, 2003
UPDATED: 12:16 PM PST December 17, 2003

SAN DIEGO -- A City Heights home was destroyed Wednesday morning by bug bombs.

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IMAGES: Bug Bombs Destroy House

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The owners of the house at 3715 Euclid Ave. reportedly set off 19 bug bombs in the home to exterminate insects, only to have the gas inside the containers fill the house until a pilot light ignited it, tearing the house apart.

The three people who lived in the house were outside at the time of the explosion and were unharmed. A neighbor, who is pregnant, was taken to the hospital after she felt nauseous from breathing the fumes.

Each bug bomb is designed to kill insects in a 700-square-foot area, and the home was reportedly only 470 square feet, said a San Diego police officer, who had originally been called to the neighborhood when somebody reported a truck having struck a house.

"It's the first time I've ever seen anything like this," said the officer. "When we first arrived, we were looking for a vehicle, and then the lady who lives in the house contacted us and told us there was no vehicle, that it was an explosion. So we asked her what happened, and she told us that she had placed the defogger bombs in her house. Fire had arrived and we reached the conclusion that there were 19 defoggers in there, which had created a bomb when the gases reached the pilot light."

The resulting explosion at 8:30 blew the rear of the home off, and a Chrismas tree, some ornaments still hanging from its branches, could be seen yawning out the rear of the building. The house was also knocked off its foundation.

Some of the windows in house were knocked from their frames but, remarkably, remained intact.

A nearby house was also damaged in the explosion when the rear wall fell onto its exterior.

The officer offered advice for homeowners who want to use bug bombs.

"If you're going to utilize this type of defogger, please read the directions," he said. "As you can see, more isn't better."

Copyright 2003 by NBCSandiego.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[ValerieUSA]

My 2 teens sons and I live in an apartment, and it has 1,250 sq ft.
470 isn't a house - it's a shed.

[Gabz]

My house isn't very big and it's 2200 sq. ft.

I'm jealous - We moved from a 1,200 sq.ft house to one less than 1,000. And we have plenty of room.

[Gabz]

They would have all died if they'd returned to live in that house. What could they have touched that wouldn't have been contaminated?

You're right about that.

We set off one of these bug bombs in our 2 story townhouse when we bought it almost 12 years ago - the next day after doing a lot of work in there, I sat down on the staircase - the only carpeted area left in the house. It was the middle of July and I was wearing shorts. I had a rash on the back of my legs for weeks.

[wimpycat]

I bet now they wish they'd called an exterminator. It would have been a lot cheaper than what they'll have to pay now. But these people aren't mental dynamos. 19 bug bombs in a 470 sq. ft. house with the pilot light on. What did they expect?

[Not gonna take it anymore]

My next house will be about your size. It's just me now. The kids are grown and my husband died so even tho 2200 isn't that large, it is more than I want or need.

[sd-joe]

>> "I'm thinking there is a problem with what they are saying is the square footage. " <<

Yeah, 470 sq ft is like 22 ft x 22 ft.

That's like (4) 11' x 11' rooms.

[Not gonna take it anymore]

And that is SMALL.

[EUPHORIC]

heheh... Everyone loves bug bombs. I betcha the average peace loving American rolls em in like their tossing a couple of nerve gas grenades into Tora Bora. ;-)

Mmmmmmmmmmmm..... Buuuuuuuuug Bommmmmmmbs! Wonderful if you heat them up real hot then drop them into a long pipe on top of a large lit firecracker. Look like a patriot missile. :)

[b4its2late]

Sounds like something out of a Cheech and Chong movie.

[Publius6961]

Did any bugs survive the blast?

Yeah.
18 woulda been plenty. Maybe 17. 19 was kinda overkill.

[Little Ray]

They actually mention this in the instructions, but who (besides me) ever read the label? Turn off the pilot light(s) if you are going to bug bomb the house.

[Wright is right!]

"The owners of the house at 3715 Euclid Ave."

I'm too lazy to MapQuest it, but from my time in SD, seems like this is the neighborhood of tiny shotgun houses through which I-15 was SUPPOSED to be built - BUT residents there somehow blocked it for years and years and years and years - until CALTRANS finally gave up. So "15" as it passes thru this area is simply a surface street until it gets just north of the area, where the Interstate 15 resumes.

You see the same thing in Mump-fus TN on I-40 - which was supposed to run straight thru from the river to out-east, but a neighborhood association blocked it - and now I-40 runs in a north loop along what was originally designated as I-240. The south loop IS 240.

Michael

[r9etb]

Yeah, but why did they choose 19 bug bombs?

Perhaps Minister Farrakhan can explain it to us....

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Darwin Award alert

That won't fly. They're still alive...

[breakem]

I know and they'll probably breed too!

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

470 square feet. No way, that's only 21'x21'. Judging by the pics, I'm betting it's 1470 sq. ft. In either case, 19 bug bombs are a radical overkill from hell. With 19 of the bombs, you're good for 13,300 sq. ft. These people took the nuclear option for their bug problem. This is like something out of the Bugs Bunny cartoons.