Ray uses Propane to blow up 2 acres of rats!

I was helping my uncle to mow the 2 acre patch of weeds and briars just behind his rural Texas house when we saw several rats scurry into holes in the ground. The holes were actually cracks in the ground caused by an extremely dry summer. The cracks were everywhere, but not apparent to us due to the tall weeds and grass covering the lot.

My uncle was propane distributor and had a delivery truck in the driveway. He had been successful in using the propane from the truck on other occasions to rid the area of ground dwelling bees, so naturally that came to mind as a rat deterrent also.

The 100 foot hose was unreeled from the truck and stretched to the rat's get-a-way site and several, (maybe more than several) gallons of liquid propane was pumped into the hole. Propane is heavier than air and will flow to the lowest point, settling into the hole and surrounding cracks. Uncle took his time reeling up the hose, giving the propane time to penetrate into the rat's lair, as it were.

A road flare tossed into the general area of the propane dump was considered sufficient to light things off and keep us clear of the small poof of flame we expected to ensue.

The flare was ignited and the toss was made. Instantly, a woof of expanding combusted air and propane almost knocked us flat. Ffire gushed from the multitude of ground cracks, sending flames roaring into the air like a jet exhaust, consuming all the vegetation, ground nesting birds, insects, lizards, snakes, and presumably, rat's in the entire two acre patch.

Luckily, neighbors surrounding the fire storm had kept their yards well watered and mowed so the cracked earth and flames did not spread beyond the confines of uncles yard.

I do not advocate a scorched earth policy, but we haven't seen rats in that field for a while.


The Fall City Rat Hunter Replies:
GREAT story Ray - reminds me of Juan using Napalm against rats.
Too bad there aren't pictures (and video!) of the devestation as that would be priceless.