For most of us, finding an insect is not a happy surprise and we instantly decide how to get rid of it. Some people use a shoe or paper to swat the bug while others come up with their unique solutions. The following stories highlight a few times when that solution backfired.
Spider-Related Accidents Around The U.S
- Indiana http://wishtv.com/2015/09/18/spider-scare-causes-school-bus-crash/ A woman was backing out of her driveway with her 9-year-old son in the backseat when she noticed a spider on her shoulder. She promptly jumped out of the vehicle before putting it in park. Her son tried to climb into the front seat to stop the vehicle but instead hit the accelerator sending the vehicle into an empty school bus passing the home. The son suffered minor head injuries.
- Michigan http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/sep/27/driver-spider-petrol-gas-station-fire-lighter While a man was filling up his tank at a gas station he spotted a spider near his gas tank. At the time, he decided the best way to kill it would be to light it on fire. The pump immediately lit up as the flame jumped from the car to the gas in the nozzle. Luckily, he grabbed a fire extinguisher to put out the fire and the gas attendant turned off the gas, and the situation was quickly handled.
- New York http://insider.foxnews.com/2015/04/16/cops-man-set-rental-car-ablaze-while-trying-kill-bed-bugs A man found bed bugs in his rental car and decided to douse them in rubbing alcohol to kill them. He then lit a cigarette which ignited the rubbing alcohol and the man himself. He was taken to the hospital with second-degree burns.
- Washington http://time.com/2991835/man-tries-to-kill-a-spider-and-ends-up-burning-his-house-down/ A West Seattle home was set ablaze by a man with a lighter and a can of spray paint. Of course, the whole house caught fire causing $60,000 in damage without for sure killing the spider. The homeowner got out of the house and is doing fine while the whereabouts of said spider are still unknown.
There are sadly many more stories about personal and property damage from an attempt to kill a bug. Don’t let this happen to you! If you choose to perform your spider control be careful and don’t use a lighter.