Firefighters Warn: 'Please Don't Use A Blowtorch To Kill Spiders'

<p>Authorities say a man apparently set a California home on fire while using a blowtorch to kill spiders. </p>

Thursday, October 25th 2018, 2:04 pm

By: News 9

Video Player is loading.

Current Time 0:00

Duration 0:00

Loaded: 0%

Stream Type LIVE

Remaining Time 0:00

Firefighters Warn: 'Please Don't Use A Blowtorch To Kill Spiders'

Authorities say a man apparently set a California home on fire while using a blowtorch to kill spiders.

KFSN-TV reports 29 firefighters were called to a Fresno housing development Tuesday night to put out a two-alarm blaze.

Authorities say a man was house-sitting for his parents when he tried to kill black widow spiders with a blowtorch. He got out safely, but the home's attic and second story were damaged. The damage to the 4,000-square foot home was extensive, reports CBS Los Angeles.

Although the exact cause of the blaze is under investigation, firefighters believe the blowtorch was to blame.

Please don't use a blowtorch to kill spiders https://t.co/hcG3P0Pjin
— Fresno Firefighters (@Local753) October 24, 2018

A union for Fresno firefighters tweeted, "Please don't use a blowtorch to kill spiders."

There's no word on what happened to the spiders.

A union for Fresno firefighters tweeted, "Please don't use a blowtorch to kill spiders."

There's no word on what happened to the spiders.

","published":"2018-10-25T19:04:13.000Z","updated":"2018-10-26T14:23:26.000Z","summary":"

Authorities say a man apparently set a California home on fire while using a blowtorch to kill spiders.

","affiliate":{"_id":"5cc353fe1c9d440000d3b70f","callSign":"kwtv","origin":"https://www.news9.com"},"contentClass":"news","createdAt":"2020-01-31T19:51:48.351Z","updatedAt":"2025-04-30T01:16:37.078Z","__v":9,"breakingNews":[],"entities":[{"_id":"623cf4ff6880e45323718c3e","text":"California","type":"LOCATION","__v":0},{"_id":"6244bf676880e45323a8b577","text":"KFSN-TV","type":"ORGANIZATION","__v":0},{"_id":"623d197f6880e453238a22d0","text":"CBS","type":"ORGANIZATION","__v":0},{"_id":"6244c76e6880e45323b22ce7","text":"Fresno Firefighters","type":"ORGANIZATION","__v":0}],"hasBeenCheckedForEntities":true,"openInNewWindow":false,"rendered":24,"peerReviewer":"5c7850eac1778925af4208da","peerReviewedOn":"2025-04-05T20:12:26.524Z","wordCount":300,"show":true,"link":"/story/5e348554527dcf49dad77ea7/firefighters-warn:-please-dont-use-a-blowtorch-to-kill-spiders","hasSchedule":false,"id":"5e348554527dcf49dad77ea7"};