New Bedford, MA (AHN) -- A Massachusetts man who wanted to quickly melt ice on a porch using a blowtorch instead has set a four-storey house on fire partly damaging it.

No one was injured from Monday's blaze that started when the flame on Vasco Silva's blowtorch ignited the vinyl siding on the back of his house in New Bedford and the flame quickly spread up to the third floor.

The 52-year-old construction worker and his son tried to put out the flames with wet towel but to no avail. Firefighters later put out the fire.

The back of the house was charred with damage estimated at $30,000. The Silvas and relatives occupying the apartment had to endure the cold weather as there was no electricity and heat.

Last year, Silva successfully used a blowtorch to melt ice on the house. He decided to try it again so his 80-year-old mother will not slip on the icy porch but this time the blowtorch turned out to be a bad choice than shoveling or using sand or salt.

Appease an angry Great Volcano by winning 10 Tribal Challenges in SKIP-BO Castaway Caper! Take advantage of this incredible bargain and get two hit puzzle games for one low price!

More Weird News From 2008-12-23 The day's offbeat stories from around the world. • Man Uses Blowtorch To Melt Snow, Burns Home • Former Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon Used Human Fat To Power SUV • Feng Shui Not Helping World's Largest Ferris Wheel As The Singapore Flyer Grinds To Halt With 173 Aboard • Economic Crisis Leads 160-Year-Old Law Firm To Shutdown By Year's End • Despite Being Buried 72 Hours In Snow, Canadian Woman Survives Ordeal • Tourism Boom For Jesus' Birthplace After Years Of Bleak Yuletides • Four-Ticket Packs For Obama Inauguration Sells For $50,000   « Current Weird News Stories