Oh Mari how terrible! blow tourches are so bad for frozen pipes. Ds tried that once during the winter and I flipped. My bil burned the front room of the homestead where my beauty salon was located years ago. That home is well over 100 years too.
Glad they are safe, but it has to be so sad for them.

I have a portable heater that is like a hair dryer and we used that this week when the weather plummeted and froze the pipes. The heat tape failed agin, we need to replace it and home is only two years old, a modular.

I have 32" of snow on the ground, and it's snowing now. There are icicles hanging near 6' long. Sitting home today hoping it clears by this afternoon when the men are working.