Smoke Bomb to Remove Skunk Causes Fire in Ferndale Home

(Crystal A. Proxmire, Feb. 20, 2018)

Ferndale, MI – An attempt to remove a skunk from a Michigan basement led to a fire that destroyed a home in Ferndale Monday.

Fire Chief Kevin Sullivan said the occupant had lit a rodent-killing smoke bomb in the Michigan basement of a home on W. Webster near Edgewood Place to kill a skunk that had gotten in.

Rodent bombs are intended to be used in the holes of animals in the ground. The smoke replaces the oxygen and critters die from lack of oxygen. They are only effective in small, relatively enclosed spaces. And they are not for use inside homes and other buildings.

On W. Webster the bomb caused flames to go from the basement through the walls to the main floor and the attic, destroying the home according to Chief Sullivan.

There were no injuries, but Chief Sullivan said the home is “destroyed.”

Because no remains were found, the skunk is believed to have escaped.

(Image credit: Kurt Meyland)