According to fire officials in Montgomery County, Maryland, the home caught on fire on November 23 in Poolesville, Maryland, after the owner burned coal in the basement to evict snakes that had taken up residence.
Fire officials believe the heat source was too close to combustibles, which caused the fire to go out of control, eventually collapsing the roof. Some 75 firefighters reported to the “dark and cold” scene. The event has been ruled an accident.
No injuries or deaths were reported, although it was estimated that the fire caused over $1 million in damages to the multistory single-family home.
Fires caused by homeowners using smoke to manage pest infestations have been reported in the past. As recently as 2017, a man in Georgia burnt his home to the ground attempting to deal with a hornet nest.