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Nov. 27--A northwest side man who opted to torch his weeds instead of pull them burned his mobile home in the process.
The 39-year-old man was using a propane-fed torch to control weeds and crabgrass in the front yard of his home, said Capt. Adam Goldberg of the Northwest Fire District. Fueled by dry brush, the fire spread under the mobile home and into the insulation and interior wallboard. The man's 12-year-old son saw smoke inside the home and alerted his father. Northwest Fire was called just after noon today.
The interior of the home, in the 6100 block of North Peppertree Lane near Orange Grove Road and Camino De Oeste, has smoke damage, but the fire damage was contained to the exterior of the home. While waiting for firefighters to arrive, the man and his 33-year-old wife used a garden hose and several fire extinguishers to keep the flames from spreading. Firefighters arrived and removed the remaining aluminum sheeting from the home to completely extinguish the fire, Goldberg said.
Fire damage to electrical wiring has forced the family of three to relocate until repairs are made. Damage is estimated at $2,500.
Goldberg said homeowners should never use fire to control weeds near a building. He suggests homeowners always have a charged and ready fire extinguisher available for home emergencies. And he recommends keeping a "defensible space" of 30 feet around the home clear of weeds, dead grass and debris in case of accidental or natural caused fires.
