New Jersey Man Sets House On Fire While Trying To Kill Bedbugs
WOODBURY, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A fire in southern New Jersey is being blamed on a homeowner's battle against bedbugs.
The Woodbury homeowner was using a space heater, a hair dryer and a heat gun Tuesday to try to eradicate the pests in a second-floor bedroom. The combination sparked a fire, a county spokeswoman said.
The federal Environmental Protection Agency said very high, sustained heat can kill bedbugs, but raising the temperature with the thermostat or space heaters won't do the job. The EPA said special equipment is needed.
Woodbury Fire Marshal Joseph Buono said that quick Internet remedies for killing bedbugs are a "catastrophe in the making," and advised calling professionals.
The homeowner was hospitalized with unspecified injuries. He was not identified.
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