[american_ranger]

I once ran a subsidiary of Don Simon Homes. We had a thermostat stick in the on position and the temp in the home approached 180 degrees. We had to replace all of the doors (warping) and the plastic windows (the plastic sagged as it got hot.)

It can happen.

[muggs]

I manage an apartment complex with furnaces that are older. We occasionally have a relay stick and the heat will not shut off. It can get pretty hot when that happens.

[fatboy]

When I was a kid, one of our neighbors repaired pianos that had major problems. Most of them were expensive grands that were fire damaged. I remember him telling my dad about a family that went on vacation and the heater (gas) was stuck in the on position for 2 weeks. This was in the late 60s/early 70s. The heat did alot of damage, our neighbor got a lot of work from this home, fixing 2 pianos and other furnature. I remember him showing us a lamp that was melted.

[dead]

I read an article once about a rock star (I can't remember who it was now!) that lost all his career memorablia, record collection and furniture, because his heat got stuck on high when he was away from his home.

They showed all his melted records and even a plastic table that had been reduced to a puddle on the floor.

At least nobody was hurt in that story. This story is awful.