A man from Ferndale, a part of Detroit metropolitan, Michigan who used smoke bombs to get rid of skunks from the basement of his house ended up nearly burning down his own abode. The man, reportedly waited 15 minutes after the fire started before calling 911.
Firefighters arrived at the scene at 10:30 AM on Monday, February 19 and found that the flames had spread from the basement to the first floor of the house situated at the 300 block of West Webster, according to the Detroit Free Press.
"We suggest citizens hire pest control professionals, however, if one is an absolute die-hard do-it-yourselfer, please read and understand the directions and warning labels before applying an incendiary (smoke bomb) to your home or garage," said Ferndale Fire Chief Kevin P. Sullivan.
The man informed the fire authorities that he waited 15 minutes after the house was on fire, before calling them.
"Fire can double in size every 30 seconds at a slow rate, doing the basic math he let the fire grow approximately 30 times the original size," Sullivan said.
The fire continued spreading throughout the house and even to the attic, resulting in what Sullivan stated as a "complete loss." The man lost most of his belongings.
"The house was a complete loss, the occupant lost most (of) his possessions, the structure was severely damaged, the fire burned through the floor and the roof, several access holes were cut to fully extinguish the fire," the Ferndale fire chief stated.
No injuries were reported so far except for one firefighter who suffered a sprain.
As for the skunks, the fire chief said that no carcasses were found.
Skunks are known for their ability to spray a liquid with a strong and an unpleasant smell. They come in various colors from black and brown to ginger and white.
In 2015, in a similar incident, a Detroit woman set her entire apartment on fire after she used alcohol to get rid of bed bugs. A year later, a man in Detroit while trying to get rid of bedbugs, sprayed alcohol on himself and the bedbugs sitting on him and tried to light them on fire. He ended up burning himself.
