Slithering snakes with their beady eyes and flicking tongues. Nasty vile snakes piled up in the cellar. Writhing masses-okay I’m getting a little ahead of myself, but you get the picture. Now add a blazing inferno! This all seems like the storyline of a bad B-movie, but this true-to-life horror story unfolded on November 23 in the small town of Poolesville, Maryland. Unnervingly, an unassuming home just outside of Washington D.C. was infested with snakes.
Evidently, the unnamed homeowner was attempting to smoke out an infestation of snakes. Using hot coals in the left too close to combustible materials a fire started in the basement that quickly spread to the house above. The blaze was brought under control with the aid of 75 firefighters at 10 pm, but not before the damage, estimated to be over $1 million, was already done.
Montgomery County Fire’s public information officer Pete Piringer said the fire was accidental and that no people were hurt. However, the fate of the snakes is unknown. Piringer posted the report to the department’s Twitter feed. See photos of the blaze for yourself.
ICYMI – Update Big Woods Rd, house fire 11/23; CAUSE, accidental, homeowner using smoke to manage snake infestation, it is believed heat source (coals) too close to combustibles; AREA of ORIGIN, basement, walls/floor; DAMAGE, >$1M; no human injures; status of snakes undetermined https://t.co/65OVYAzj4G pic.twitter.com/xSFYi4ElmT
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) December 3, 2021