A tourist’s alleged attempt to scare off a spider led to the complete destruction of a $112,000 luxury villa in Bali after an open flame quickly spiralled out of control.
Earlier this year, a man was wanted for allegedly setting his Pennsylvania home on fire in an attempt to kill spiders, reported ABC. However, the makeshift torch caught nearby flammable materials, causing flames to rapidly engulf the structure. Luckily, no one was harmed in the incident. “After burning the paper, the victim left the bathroom and went to the work room. The police stated that after the villa’s dry alang-alang roof – a traditional thatched roof made from cogongrass – caught fire, strong winds spread the flames across the structure. It also raised concerns about nearby homes, but none were harmed. He was later arrested in a hit-and-run crash. However, the incident not only burned down his home but also damaged three connected properties.
36-year-old Sean McDermott of East Moriches, New York, allegedly set fire to his townhome in Pocono Pines, Pennsylvania, to kill spiders within the property.
The guest allegedly ignited a piece of paper in an effort to drive the arachnid away from the property, according to local officials. The burning paper was apparently carried by strong winds and caught the thatched roof,” Badung Police spokesperson Ipda Ni Nyoman Yuni Eltari told the Bali Times. “The fire spread quickly and burned all parts of the villa,” Yuni said.
