Man Arrested In US For Starting Wildfire While Trying To Kill Spider With Lighter: Police

A man has been arrested in the United States for causing wildfire on a 60-acre hillside while trying to kill a spider. The incident took place in Utah's Springville on Monday, which, according to sheriff's office, was the result of the man trying to burn the spider alive using a lighter. The Mapleton City Fire Department shared photos of the operation to douse the blaze on its Facebook page on Tuesday.

According to a tweet from the Utah County Sheriff, the fire was accidentally set by Cory Allan Martin, 26, of Draper, Utah, who claimed to have been trying to burn a spider with his lighter when he discovered it.

8/1/22 @SpringvilleDPS fire and police asked @UCSO Deputies to respond to a fire north of their city. Cory Allan Martin, 26, Draper, said he tried to kill a spider with a lighter and started a fire. He was booked by for reckless burning, possession of marijuana/paraphernalia.

— Utah County Sheriff (@UCSO) August 3, 2022

The start of this fire, according to Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Cannon, might be the most peculiar he has ever witnessed.

"A fire to start by someone because somebody was trying to burn a spider with a lighter. That might top the list of unusual fire starts," said Cannon.

Drugs such as marijuana and other drug paraphernalia was found in his backpack when he was arrested by the authorities, KSLTV reported.

Martin was detained in the Utah County Jail for marijuana possession, causing a reckless fire that endangered a person, and using or possessing drug paraphernalia, the outlet further reported.

According to Provo Incident & Rescue Captain Sam Armstrong, the fire was reported in Springville at 4:43 pm (local time).

No structures were in danger, he claimed, but the fire started to spread up the hill as the wind pushed it. On Tuesday, 90 per cent of the Springville Fire's acreage was contained, said state fire officials.

The blaze, which spread between Springville and Provo, received assistance from numerous fire departments. Firefighters claimed that if it weren't for air support, the fire might have been much worse. Cannon warns locals that a lighter's tiny flame can quickly ignite and become out of control.