Iowa Homeowner Starts Fire Thawing Water Pipes with Heat Gun

An Iowa homeowner’s attempts to thaw out his house’s water pipes went awry when he turned to a trusted source: his heat gun.

Firefighters descended on Marcus Heyer’s rural home in Britt at about 9 p.m. last Thiursday after police say he caught one of his walls on fire while using the heat gun.

Fire Chief Pat Trulson says the flames spread in the home, but firefighters were able to contain the blaze.

Temperatures that dipped to -30 degrees froze water in some unused hoses.

No one was injured in the fire.