Slight overreaction: Man tries to kill spider, ends up burning down house

Friday, July 18, 2014, 5:06 PM - It's a life lesson that a Seattle man won't soon forget.

On Tuesday, authorities responded to a 911 call relating to a house fire. It turns out the man who rented the home had been trying to kill a spider in the laundry room with a blowtorch fashioned out of spray paint and a lighter.

Witnesses say the flames spread quickly through the house, sending frantic neighbours outdoors.

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“There were giant clouds of smoke pouring out of the windows,” resident Kaitlin Sharp told local media. Neighbours hosed their houses and yards down to prevent the flames from spreading.

Firefighters say the fire caused $60,000 in damages.

The fate of the spider remains unknown.