TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Tainan homeowner has claimed that city health workers spraying chemicals caused a fire at his residence in the city’s East District on Friday (Oct. 27), as the city Tainan deals with a deadly Dengue fever outbreak.

The fire occurred on Friday afternoon at a home on Renhe Road shortly after workers with the Tainan Public Health Bureau sprayed chemicals to kill mosquitoes and suppress the spread of Dengue fever, reported UDN. The fire was put out within an hour, but not before significant damage was done to the second floor of the home.

An inspection team dispatched by the city fire department on Saturday (Oct. 28) found the fire likely began in a second floor closet. The home owner, surnamed Yang (楊), has filed for compensation from the city, claiming the chemicals or equipment used by the Public Health Bureau were responsible for the fire.

The health bureau was scheduled to treat the house for mosquitoes on Friday between 2 and 4:30 p.m., in accordance with the campaign to suppress the spread of Dengue fever among older homes throughout the city. According to reports, the workers arrived shortly before 3 p.m. and Yang accompanied them as they examined the property.

Yang allegedly accompanied the workers upstairs to check the second floor windows. The fire alarm sounded about two or three minutes after the group returned downstairs.

On Saturday, the director of the Public Health Bureau Su Shih-bin (蘇世斌) also visited the home to express his condolences and make inquiries, per UDN.

The Public Health Bureau said that if the spraying did contribute to the fire, then compensation will be provided. However, a thorough investigation will need to be conducted before any determination is made.

The bureau added that in normal conditions the chemical spray used to combat Dengue fever will not cause combustion or act as a catalyst for fire.

Yang and his parents are reportedly living in another property nearby the residence damaged by fire.