Indianapolis, IN – A 49-year-old man is fortunate to be unharmed after a dangerous attempt to thaw frozen pipes with a blow torch caused a fire that spread under an Indianapolis home Monday evening.
According to the Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD), crews were called around 5:39 p.m. to a residence at 8311 Hill Gail Drive, where heavy smoke was visible upon arrival. The homeowner reported that his brother had been working in the crawl space using a blow torch on active gas lines when sparks ignited a fire beneath the structure.
Firefighters say the man, who was unaware the home had caught fire, initially refused to leave the crawl space due to a language barrier, prompting crews to enter and extract him safely. No injuries were reported.
The blaze caused significant interior damage and displaced three adults and one dog. The brother told firefighters that he had used a blow torch before in his plumbing work and believed it was safe.
Fire crews contained the fire within 25 minutes with assistance from the Decatur Township Fire Department and Metropolitan Emergency Services Agency.
Officials urge residents to avoid using open flames or blow torches to thaw frozen pipes, as such methods can quickly lead to catastrophic fires or explosions.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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