South Korean Woman Sets Apartment On Fire While Trying to Kill Cockroach

Last Updated:October 22, 2025, 01:26 IST

A South Korean woman caused a deadly Osan city fire using a flamethrower to kill a cockroach, leading to a Chinese national's death and possible charges of negligence

Blasting cockroaches - with blowtorches or homemade flamethrowers - has emerged as a novel way of getting rid of house pests, made popular by videos on social media, BBC reported. (Representative Image)

A South Korean woman has set her apartment building on fire while trying to kill a cockroach with an improvised flamethrower. One of the woman’s neighbours died after falling to the ground while trying to escape through a window.

According to BBC, the woman, who is in her 20s, told police that she tried to torch the cockroach with a lighter and a flammable spray, adding that she had used the method before. However on Monday, items in her home caught fire.

Police said they will be seeking an arrest warrant against the accused and she could be charged with accidentally starting a fire and causing death by negligence.

BBC reported that the woman who died in the Osan city fire, a Chinese national in her 30s, lived on the fifth floor of the building with her husband and two-month-old baby.

According to reports, when the family realized about the fire, they opened their home window and called for help. They managed to hand over their baby through the window to a neighbor and the husband also was able to climb over. However, the woman fell from the window while climbing down. She was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead.

Blasting cockroaches – with blowtorches or homemade flamethrowers – has emerged as a novel way of getting rid of house pests, made popular by videos on social media, BBC reported.

A similar case was reported in 2018 when an Australian man set fire to his kitchen while trying to kill cockroaches with a homemade flamethrower made with insect spray.

News world South Korean Woman Sets Apartment On Fire While Trying to Kill Cockroach

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