A California man sparked an unexpected emergency after attempting to kill a large wolf spider with a torch lighter. The plan backfired quickly, turning a simple pest problem into a costly apartment fire.

The incident happened on Sunday in an upstairs bedroom of the apartment. A caregiver, Lyndsey Wisegarver, said one of the residents spotted a “huge wolf spider” and grabbed a torch lighter to get rid of it.

The spider, already aflame, darted onto a nearby mattress. The bedding caught fire almost instantly, and flames spread to the surrounding drapes and materials before anyone could fully put them out.

Residents tried to control the fire with a garden hose, but the flames were too strong. Battalion Chief Rob Pitt confirmed that firefighters reached the apartment quickly and stopped the fire from spreading to neighboring units. They brought the blaze under control in less than 20 minutes.

No injuries were reported. However, the fire caused an estimated $11,000 in damage, leaving the apartment unsafe to live in.

Wisegarver said the three residents had been considering a move even before the fire. Now, they must find a new place to stay. “We’ll make it work,” she added.

Wolf spiders are common in California and across North America. They are not poisonous and rarely aggressive, but they can bite if threatened. Their size and speed often make them alarming to homeowners.

This incident serves as a reminder that using fire to kill pests can create far bigger problems—and far more danger—than the spider itself.