But Did the Roaches Survive?

Deborah Dean of Dekalb County, Georgia was looking forward to Thanksgiving. Her holiday preparations were coming along. The turkey and trimmings were in the fridge, and the apartment was tidy. The only thing left to do - get rid of the cockroaches. Nobody wants cockroaches sharing the Thanksgiving meal.

So, Deborah did what so many others before her have done in this situation. She went to the store and loaded her shopping cart with bug bombs. She figured fourteen of the pesticide cans would do the trick. She got ready for work, and just before she closed the door behind her, she set off the arsenal of room foggers. And then she stepped into the hall...

Her upstairs neighbors felt a tremendous shaking, and then the floor felt like it was on fire. They jumped from the second floor window to escape. Deborah Dean's apartment was blown to smithereens, and families in the adjacent flats lost their homes, too. All are being relocated to other apartments.

Let's review this again. Bug bombs release flammable chemicals into the air. How many pesticide canisters did Ms. Dean really need to effectively kill her cockroaches? Probably one, maybe two if the apartment was big. And that warning on the can - the one about keeping it away from open flames? Gas stoves, heaters, and dryers all have pilot lights that must be extinguished prior to using room foggers. One important detail that Ms. Dean forgot.