A Japanese man nearly blew up his apartment for killing a small cockroach with insecticide
On Sunday, December 10th, an unfortunate incident took place in the city of Kumamoto on the island of Kyushu when a Japanese man accidentally triggered a fire while attempting to eliminate a cockroach, according to reports.
He noticed the presence of the insect inside his apartment shortly before midnight and decided to take swift action to remove it.
However, his attempt to get rid of the cockroach took an unexpected turn, resulting in an unfortunate fire incident.
The Japanese man's apartment explodes
Officials stated that the 54-year-old sprayed a significant amount of insecticide in hopes of eliminating the pesky cockroach.
Unfortunately, within just a minute, an unexpected explosion occurred, resulting in the shattering of a balcony window.
The incident also left the man with a minor injury, as confirmed by the police.
The sequence of events took an unfortunate turn, causing both property damage and harm to the individual involved.
The cause of the explosion
Following the explosion, a subsequent investigation revealed burn marks near the victim's kotatsu, a traditional Japanese heating table.
The National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan has reported receiving multiple similar incidents where explosions were linked to the use of insecticide near electrical outlets.
In a publication for the University of Florida in 2022, Philip Koehler, an emeritus professor of entomology, emphasized the potential hazards associated with applying liquid sprays in specific areas, "Applying liquid sprays in certain areas may be extremely hazardous.
"For example, electrical outlets, motors, or exposed wiring pose a potential threat of electrical shock to persons applying water-based pesticide sprays. Pilot lights and gas flames from heaters and appliances may ignite flammable petroleum-based pesticides."
Tragically, incidents involving the misuse of insecticides or flammable substances resulting in severe consequences are not isolated incidents.
In Cincinnati, Ohio, a woman inadvertently set her entire house on fire when she used rubbing alcohol near an open flame in an attempt to address a bed bug infestation.
Similar stories have been reported throughout the US, with one notable case involving a 13-year-old who became homeless after a similar incident occurred.
