A tenant on Reddit arrived to quite the sight — and smell — after coming home to their rental from the gym one day.
In a post to the subreddit r/mildlyinfuriating, the tenant shared an image of what they discovered: a black spatula melted into a pan.
Apparently, one of the tenant's dogs had somehow turned on the gas burner while they were gone. The spatula, which had been left in a pan on the stovetop, got so hot, it eventually melted into a black mess of plastic and chemicals.
"It smelled like chemical warfare," described the tenant in the post.
Though the tenant was forced to evacuate with their dogs while they aired out any lingering chemicals from the melted spatula, they were lucky the situation didn't end any worse.
"Whoof. You're lucky this didn't start a fire," wrote one user on the post.
While incidents of pets accidentally turning on gas burners are rare, it is just one of many risks associated with gas stoves that tenants and homeowners alike should consider.
One major issue with gas stoves is their effects on human health. Gas stoves release nitrogen dioxide, an invisible pollutant that gets trapped in the home. Nitrogen dioxide is toxic to humans and leads to a number of health problems, including lung inflammation, coughing and wheezing, and an increased risk of asthma attacks, according to the American Lung Association.
After nitrogen dioxide leaves the home, it rises into the Earth's atmosphere, where it joins other planet-warming gases that contribute to our changing climate and extreme weather events.
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Majorly 😥 Switching to an induction stove is a great option for homeowners wanting to avoid exposing themselves, their loved ones, and the planet to excess nitrogen dioxide emitted from gas stoves. Plus, they cook faster and are more cost-effective.
The switch doesn't have to be expensive, either. Brands like Copper offer an easy and affordable solution to gas stoves. Incentives from Biden's Inflation Reduction Act can get buyers up to 30% off the price of a brand-new induction stove, too. However, the subsidies granted by the IRA may not last long under President Donald Trump, who has vowed to eliminate them.
Back on the Reddit post, users were thankful that the incident with the gas stove had a happy ending.
"He didn't burn down the house," commented one person. "Bright side."
"I'd be more happy than infuriated. You lost a plastic utensil and not your entire house," wrote another.
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