Arson Charge for Woman Who Started Fire to Kill Spider

A 34-year-old Hutchinson, Kansas, woman who says she lit a fire to kill a spider has been charged with aggravated arson after firefighters had to put out a small blaze in her half of a duplex.

The Hutchinson News reports the woman was arrested early Friday after five Hutchinson Fire Department trucks responded at 1:36 a.m. to extinguish the fire. Deputy Fire Chief Doug Hanen says firefighters found light smoke coming from the woman’s half of the duplex and some clothing smoldering inside the doorway.

They also found multiple points of origin for the fire, but the duplex sustained only minor smoke damage.

A police summary of the incident says the woman told officers she used a cigarette lighter to ignite some towels to kill a spider.