A man in Chico, California, set out to rid his backyard of cobwebs this past weekend. While some might grab a broom or a stick, this guy apparently thought a blowtorch was the best item to use. He apparently didn’t just get rid of the webs, he succeeded in getting rid of his attic at the same time when he set his house on fire.

Eiliya Maida unknowingly set some dry plants on fire while doing his cleaning, and had moved to the front yard without realizing he’d set the fire. His brother-in-law then noticed smoke rising from the house, and that’s when 911 was called.

Lucky for the family, nobody was inside the house at the time and there were no injuries. The family has been displaced for now, however, due to damages not only to the roof but also to their electrical system. The family doesn’t have insurance.

I think it’s terrible when any family has to endure a house fire of any kind. Even if it’s a small fire, smoke damage alone will put you out plenty of money. In this case, however, it would seem that it could have been prevented. After all, how big were these spider webs that he needed a blowtorch to take them out?

Maybe he’s as afraid of the eight-legged creatures as I am. Fire? That seems like an appropriate way to take out the beast that walked across my room the other day and flipped me off.

How do you take out cobwebs in your back yard? Would fire ever even be a consideration?

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