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Rodent bomb torches East Nicolaus house

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November 25, 2009 11:59:00 AM

Appeal-Democrat

A smoke bomb placed under an East Nicolaus house to drive out rodents ignited the home, according to a Sutter County Fire Department report.

The fire, reported at 6 p.m. Tuesday, heavily damaged the single-family home in the 1900 block of Berry Road, leaving it uninhabitable. Only the owner, who was not named, was home and he was not injured, said fire Capt. Dan Root.

The rodent bomb apparently ignited insulation under the home. The fire then spread to the floor and walls, Root said.

An estimate of the damage in dollars was not immediately available.

The Pleasant Grove, Linda and Oswald-Tudor fire departments assisted the East Nicolaus Fire Department.

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19 comments

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pixie1239

12:23 PM on November 25, 2009

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Well. I'm sure the mice left.

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catlvr

12:29 PM on November 25, 2009

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Look ma, no brains!

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ycres1

12:48 PM on November 25, 2009

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Start a fire under your wooden home......Genius at work

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mrsfrostie

1:10 PM on November 25, 2009

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This is why I do not believe in Karma, because the people who deserve it!?!?!?!?! never seem to get it. No some, person, trying to save money by doing their own extermnination, and preotect their family, loses everything.

The rich get richer, the poor get poorer, and the peanut gallery gets more obnoxous. (sp?)

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honkerduck

1:59 PM on November 25, 2009

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mrsfrostie wrote:
This is why I do not believe in Karma, because the people who deserve it!?!?!?!?! never seem to get it. No some, person, trying to save money by doing their own extermnination, and preotect their family, loses everything.

It used to be called social Darwinism. In today's society we are taught to feel sorry for those who burn their houses down because they are too (insert your own adjective here) to read the label which clearly states that a product creates an extreme fire hazard. I can't help but wonder whom besides this idiot will be blamed for this.

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mrsfrostie

2:16 PM on November 25, 2009

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well society did not teach me this, experience did. our house burned down on christmas eve while we were at mignight mass. the fire department wasn't sure if it was caused by the christmas lights on our tree, or the electric blanket. so i guess anyone who uses electricity qualifies for your lable as an idiot.
lucky for us dopes that there is always close at hand to rub our noses in it!

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honkerduck

2:44 PM on November 25, 2009

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actually I clearly implied the idiocy of using a bug bomb under a house. After a quick re-read of my post I don't see the words electricity, Christmas tree or electric blanket. Those are accidental causes of destruction, and are in a completely different category than some dumb@ss torching his house out of stupidity. I'm sure he's a nice guy. That doesn't make him bright. It's unfortunate that your house burned down, especially at Christmas. That would really suck. I probably would contribute generously to the victim of such an accident. Burn your house down because you're stupid? That one is on you.

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makeitso

4:03 PM on November 25, 2009

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I guess leaving on Christmas lights or an electric blanket while one is away is now considered an act of genius? Good to know.

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toadette

5:35 PM on November 25, 2009

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dont bug bombs just put off a haze of poison? I mean you read the label and it tells you the dos and donts but how does it actually catch on fire?

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ysorgs

9:42 PM on November 25, 2009

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People! If you carefully read the instructions on these 'bombs' they recommend that you disconnect every appliance connected to electricity, incl the refrigerator.

I think Pixie is right, the mice have left the building.

I don't know how infested this particular bldg was at the time but fogs don't kill rodents. In fact, they hardly kill most insect pests. They just run elsewhere.

Older homes, if this is one, have many entrance points for rodents. Seal them off. Place regular traps out with peanut butter. Dispose of contents and reset. Yes, it's a job. Borrow some cats.

We, as a society, want to treat problems too often with poisons w/o looking at the consequences to us. There are multiple ways to address pest mgt w/o poisons. If you are interested, do a search on integrated pest mgt and specifically look for the UC Davis input.

For ants, use Terro, available at OSH and other retailers. Place part of a high fat, high sugar pc where they gather. Then replace that pc with another soaked w/Terro. They will take it back to the nest and they are gone.

Put pet food bowls up above a moat. Use a big bowl, then a smaller bowl placed upside down. Fill the surrounding area with water and add a drop or two or dishwashing soap to eliminate the surface tension (remember jr. high science?????). Then place the food bowl on top of the overturned bowl. Now you have a moat that ants can't cross.

IMO, the only situations that require exterminators are termite infestations. The rest you can do at home with the proper info.

Be smart. Be informed. Be safe.