Homeowner's Attempt to Smoke Out Snakes Torches Home

At least they got rid of the snakes
By Josh Gardner,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 5, 2021 6:30 AM CST
Attempt to Smoke Out Snakes Causes $1M House Fire
Blaze in Maryland caused when homeowners try to smoke out snakes   (MCFRS)

A Maryland homeowner's Nov. 23 attempt to use smoke to dispense with a snake infestation was incredibly successful--but they managed to get rid of most of their house, as well. Per Fox 5 DC, Montgomery County fire officials said the owner of the home in the Poolesville area apparently placed hot coals too close to combustibles in the basement, which started the fire. The 3-story home sits in a rural area at the end of a nearly mile-long driveway, and with no hydrants nearby fire officials say fighting the blaze was made especially difficult. Per WJLA, some 75 firefighters responded to the fire, which had already begun to engulf the roof by the time they arrived.

Officials estimate the loss at around $1 million. The homeowners purchased the home for $1.8 million, according to reports. No one was believed to have been home at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported. While it's unlikely the snakes made it through the inferno, officials urge against using the smoke-out method for snake removal and instead rely on sealing cracks in a home's foundation and to take precautions that prevent rodent infestations that attract snakes in the first place. (More strange stuff stories.)

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