Washington: A man in the US state of California set his apartment on fire while trying to kill a spider using a torch lighter.

The fire occurred on Sunday in a block of flats in the city of Redding in northern California, the US media reported.

The man used a torch-style lighter to try and kill the huge wolf spider after spotting it in the bedroom of his flat, said Lyndsey Wisegarver, a caregiver to the residents.

The flame didn't kill the spider instantly, however, the burning arachnid reportedly ran onto a mattress, setting it on fire. Wisegarver said the fire also spread to the drapes and a flag collection, the Redding Record Searchlight newspaper reported.

The blaze forced the residents to evacuate and firefighters were immediately called to the building.

No one was injured. However the fire did cause about $11,000 in damage.

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