Man Trying To Burn Spiders Sets House On Fire

While 'burn it down' may have become a hilarious catchphrase of our times, one should not do it literally so. A man in Fresno, California, learned this the hard way when he set his parents' house on fire while trying to burn some spiders. According to ABC News, the man who started the fire claimed that he was using a blowtorch to kill black widow spiders when the fire began. He was house-sitting for his parents when it happened.

Fortunately, the 23-year-old man managed to escape from the blaze unhurt, and nobody else was injured in the fire.

The Fresno Fire Department said the incident took place on Tuesday night at a house in the Woodward Lake housing development.

Units are on scene of a #HOUSEFIRE in the area of E. Mariners Cir. E17 first on scene and 2nd Alarm requested. pic.twitter.com/NyBGirgPux

- Fresno Fire PIO (@FresnoFire) October 24, 2018

One of the exterior bricks had a small crack, so the blowtorch's flame ignited flammable material inside and the fire went straight up into the attic, said Capt. Robert Castillo of the Fresno Fire Department to Los Angeles Times.

Twenty six firefighters responded to the blaze that resulted, which caused about $10,000 worth of damage to the attic and the second story of the house.

"This is definitely not the preferred method to exterminate spiders in and around your home," said Mr Castillo.