A Massachusetts man who wanted to quickly melt ice on a porch using a blowtorch instead has set a four-storey house on fire partly damaging it.

No one was injured from Monday's blaze that started when the flame on Vasco Silva's blowtorch ignited the vinyl siding on the back of his house in New Bedford and the flame quickly spread up to the third floor.

The 52-year-old construction worker and his son tried to put out the flames with wet towel but to no avail. Firefighters later put out the fire.

The back of the house was charred with damage estimated at $30,000. The Silvas and relatives occupying the apartment had to endure the cold weather as there was no electricity and heat.

Last year, Silva successfully used a blowtorch to melt ice on the house. He decided to try it again so his 80-year-old mother will not slip on the icy porch but this time the blowtorch turned out to be a bad choice than shoveling or using sand or salt.