A Maryland homeowner had a snake infestation. So, how did his home end up burning to the ground?
The unidentified owner allegedly tried using smoke from hot coals to rid his home of the snakes, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue (MCFR) spokesman Pete Piringer tweeted Thursday. It is believed that the hot coals got too close to flammable substances, sparking the fire.
Update (11/23) Big Woods Rd, house fire; CAUSE, accidental, homeowner using smoke to manage snake infestation, it is believed heat source (coals) too close to combustibles; AREA of ORIGIN, basement, walls/floor; DAMAGE, >$1M; no human injures; snake status undetermined https://t.co/65OVYAQTWe pic.twitter.com/HIYOegJJT6
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) December 3, 2021
Update (11/23 10p) 21000blk Big Woods Rd, Dickerson/Poolesville, @mcfrs Media Hotline Update 240.777.2442 – no injuries, Cause-undetermined/under investigation, >$1M loss, ~75FFs responded, it was dark & cold (~ 25°) https://t.co/6PwIkbRAkf pic.twitter.com/jWlB1HPdKt
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) November 24, 2021
The fire spread from the basement and demolished the three-story home, causing more than $1 million in damage, MCFR tweeted.
There were no human injuries, Piringer tweeted. The snakes’ status was listed as “undetermined.” (RELATED: Arsonist Says She Lit Fires To Get Rid Of Snakes)
While attempts to rid snake infestations by fire are unorthodox, they are not unheard of.
A Louisiana woman was arrested and charged with arson in April after setting multiple fires around her neighborhood in an attempt to remove snakes from the land, the Daily Caller previously reported.
Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain told the Louisiana Radio Network that if people are concerned about snakes, they should maintain their yards and layout mothballs instead of lighting fires.
“Setting fires, quote, to get rid of snakes is just a really, really bad idea,” Strain told the network.