A Virginia homeowner recently found out the hard way that storing a loaded gun in the oven is not a safe thing to do. A few days ago, as the New York Post reported, a firearm that someone apparently stashed there went off because they evidently forgot about it and turned the oven on. As the appliance heated up, it caused the weapon to fire several times.
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The oven actually exploded and started a fire. Fortunately, no one was injured by the bullets, but the outcome could easily have been much more serious.
We looked into this and uncovered the details of the bizarre incident. In some ways, this is a cautionary tale about proper handling and storage of guns.
What Happened In This Home In Virginia?
The Fire Department Rushed There To Respond To A Blaze
Firefighters went to a home last Thursday after they were summoned for a fire. They discovered - probably to their amazement and concern- that a handgun was in the oven. The weapon had reportedly melted onto the metal grate inside the appliance due to the intense heat when the oven was turned on.
Most scary of all was the fact that five rounds went off. A photo shows the oven's glass window completely broken. It is unclear which way the gun was pointed when it went off - toward the front or back of the appliance.
Chesterfield County Fire And EMS Issued A Stern Warning To Homeowners And Gun Owners On Facebook
Don't Use The Oven For Storage Of Any Kind
The FB post read in part: "Last night, our firefighters responded to a call for a fire at a home in Chesterfield. The homeowner reported the oven had exploded. When firefighters opened the oven to investigate, they found a handgun inside. It turns out, someone turned the oven on with the gun inside, the weapon heated up, and five rounds went off. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but the situation could have turned out much differently."
At the top in bold letters was this warning: "PLEASE DO NOT STORE GUNS OR ANYTHING ELSE IN YOUR OVEN."
The post advised people to place their weapons "somewhere secure, like a gun safe."
