One of the most flammable home remedies for bed bugs is rubbing alcohol. Open flames, such as a candle or incense, are a disaster waiting to happen with alcohol strewn all around your home. Some have even tried to burn the bugs, creating an uncontrolled blaze that ruined their homes.

Most people look to exterminating professionals, but in one case in 2011, a Cincinnati family wishes they hadn't. The exterminator was using heat treatment and caused the house to set fire to the carpet, burning the home to ashes.

Many stories of this accident happened recently, so we put a list together of some of the worst.

 

Bed Bug Infested Mattresses and Children Doused in Gasoline: NYC, 2009

NYC Firefighters were called to investigate an unusual smell permeating an apartment home. It turns out it was petroleum. Kids and mattresses were soaked with kerosene to rid the house and kids of bed bugs. Thankfully, no fire was reported. This could have been disastrous to the family and apartment homes. With that much gas, a rickety light switch or static electricity could have ignited the clothes and carpets.

 

Men Set Home Ablaze After Deliberately Burning Infested Furniture: Indianapolis, 2012

Two men carried three couches outside and torched them. The renters reported that the couches were infested with bed bugs and thought burning them would solve their problem. Unfortunately, the sofas needed to be farther away from the apartment. They jumped into the home, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.

 

Woman Sets Apartment on Fire Trying to Kill Bed Bug With Lighter: Kansas, 2017

 

Monique Quarles told reporters she was home with her daughter when they noticed a giant bug under the mattress. "When I grabbed the bug and I had it, I went to light it, and then the lighter started sparking, so these sparks then went onto the box springs," she informed the local newspaper. The flames rose so high that 17 neighbors were evacuated, and one person was treated for smoke inhalation. $140,000 was the estimated damage total.

 

 

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