Man set house on fire while trying to kill spider, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage

Fire crews were concerned that there was ammunition in the house

A spider in its net is seen on June 8, 2014 in Bamberg, Germany. (DAVID EBENER/AFP/Getty Images)

A man in the US city of Seattle accidentally set a house ablaze after he tried to kill a spider with a makeshift blowtorch - causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.

The unnamed man spotted a spider in the laundry room of the rented house he lives in with his mother on Tuesday at around 8:30pm, in the Arbour Heights area of the city in Washington State.

In an attempt to kill the arachnid by engulfing it in flames, he fashioned a blowtorch using a lighter and a can of spray paint, fire fighters told KIRO TV. Realising the fire was out of control, he soon called the emergency services.

Arriving on the scene, fire crews became concerned that there could be ammunition in the house, but the threat of explosives was later ruled out.

The fire caused $40,000 (£23,343) of damage to the structure, and $20,000 (£11,671) worth of its contents.

“I saw flames coming out of the side of the house and heard popping sounds,” neighbour Sue Green told reporters.

Worried that the flames could spread, the man’s neighbours doused their lawns and houses with water.

“There were giant clouds of smoke pouring out of the windows,” said Kaitlin Sharp who lives nearby.