Original Blog Entry: Man trying to kill weeds sets house on fire with flame thrower

truesee — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:57:53 GMT

House wrecked as man kills weeds with flame thrower

AFP/File Dandelions grow at the

edge of a path. A German gardener's

house was left a smouldering wreck after

July 3, 2009

9:35 am

BERLIN (AFP) A German gardener's house was left a smouldering wreck on Friday after he set it on fire while trying to get rid of the weeds with the help of a flame-thrower, police said.

After accidentally setting his hedge alight, the 54-year-old's garden shed was soon also engulfed in flames and despite efforts to extinguish the fire with a garden hose, the blaze spread to the roof of the house.

Seven firemen were needed to put out the blaze in Tangstedt near Hamburg in northern Germany, which occurred on Thursday. Police said the house was now uninhabitable.

Flame-throwers are used widely in agriculture and also in gardening, but generally only for removing weeds from between cracks in paving in driveways and patios.

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