It is not unusual for a house or apartment to have Bed Bugs. However, there are ways to get rid of them without using the method a 13-year-old Cincinnati boy used. He tried to kill one bed bug that resulted in $300,000 in damage and eight people being displaced from six apartments. The fire got out of hand on Tuesday night around 11 p.m.

What happened?

The boy tried to kill the bed bug by using alcohol and a match. The mattress caught on fire, and the fire got out of control. Major damage was caused to the Hawaiian Terrace apartments. The fire spread through six apartments in the complex before firefighters could bring it under control.

When it was all over, the unwise action of the boy had caused severe damage to the apartment when he lived and other apartments in the complex. A total of eight people had to be displaced. This included three adults and five children. WCPO Channel 9, a local television station, reported that one apartment was completely destroyed by the fire and two others were severely damaged that will need a lot of repairs.

District 3 Chief Marc Monahan didn't seem to be too hard on the boy. He described the fire as accidental. Monahan said the teenager wasn't just playing with matches. He did say the boy's action wasn't the smartest thing to do when he tried to kill just one bed bug. Fortunately, no injuries were caused by the fire.

The Red Cross is providing assistance to the displaced residents of the apartments.

It doesn't appear that the boy or his parents were charged or if they were offered advice on how to get rid of bed bugs in the future. It is interesting that reports say the Ohio boy was trying to kill only one bed bug. There is usually an entire infestation of them.

While the boy tried to get rid of only one, they were others hiding somewhere in his bed.

Safe way to eliminate bed bugs

Bed bugs are a nuisance and no one wants them around. The insects are called bed bugs for a reason. Their preferred place to live is in the bed among the sheets and mattresses. They prefer the bed because it is a warm place to hibernate.

Since they are parasites, they live off of the blood of those who sleep in the bed. They are mainly active at night. While you sleep, they are awake and active.

There are safe ways to get rid of the insects. Many products are on the market, but experts say the best way to get rid of them is to discard sheets and mattresses. If you can't afford to discard your bedding, then wash them in very hot water. The very best way is to call an exterminator. However, that method is costly.
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