A man in Massachusetts made a costly mistake while attempting to remove ice from his roof after a winter storm hit the Northeast. He used a blowtorch to tackle the issue, but this led to an unexpected fire breaking out at his home.
The homeowner from Milton thought he could quickly melt a thick layer of ice, so he climbed up a ladder with a torch in hand. However, just minutes into his efforts, flames erupted from the roof and quickly spread to the gutters.
He barely managed to slide down and call for help before more damage occurred. When firefighters arrived, the attic was fully engulfed in flames.
Neighbors expressed their shock, noting how rapidly the situation escalated, with one even mentioning that “the entire roof was burnt down” in no time. Milton Fire Department’s Deputy Chief, John Arner, shared that they initially thought only the gutters were at risk, but the fire had dramatically spread to the attic.
Frigid temperatures, since Winter Storm Fern hit on January 25, intensified the firefighters’ challenges as they battled the flames for hours. They had to rely on assistance from out-of-town teams to tackle the cold as well as the fire.
“Please hire a professional company to manage your ice,” Arner advised. He cautioned against taking risks on roofs to avoid injury.
Fortunately, there were no reported injuries, and the fire affected just the one house.
Meanwhile, in New York City, some residents are finding creative ways to cope with the ongoing cold snap; for instance, a group of hockey enthusiasts recently held a look-alike contest in Greenwich Village’s Mercer Playground.
