LOWER TOWAMENSING TOWNSHIP -- A family in Carbon County had horrible results trying to thaw a pipe with a blow dryer. The family was working to fix some frozen pipes in their home near Palmerton, but that quickly turned into a major house fire late Monday morning in Carbon County.
Smoke billowed out from the home on Wintergreen Road in Lower Towamensing Townhip as fire crews worked to knock down a fire in freezing cold temperatures.
Officials say it all started while a family worked to thaw a frozen pipe.
"Apparently the people were thawing some frozen pipes and caught some insulation, cobwebs and such in a crawl space and it got away on them," said Aquashicola Volunteer Fire Company Chief Bill George.
Justin Muthard lived in this home with his wife, grandparents, and his uncle. He says his uncle was using a hair dryer to try to get the pipes working again.
When the fire started, "He tried getting it out with his hands but he burned his hands in the process and it just all went up from there."
Fire crews say they had to keep this water flowing through their hoses constantly so their lines didn't freeze while they were trying to knock down this fire here for hours.
Firefighter Ken Meyer has been volunteering for 28 years and says fires like this are tough.
"When you get there, it's nice and hot and warm and then you start putting water and foam on it, and the next thing you know you're frozen and ice-covered in frosty foam," said Meyer.
The family is all safe but Muthard says this couldn't have come at a worse time.
"It's bad because my wife is pregnant, too. We just had a room decorated for the baby and everything," said Muthard.
Fire officials say usually a hair dryer is a good way to thaw pipes, but there are a few precautions you can take.
"I can't blame them for trying to do it themselves. They should obviously have an extinguisher nearby if they're doing that type of work," said Chief George.
The township also helped keep the roads safe, spreading salt along the roads to help prevent further problems in this part of Carbon County.