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2007 December Slush
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house got burned because of spider
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Darwin Awards
2008 Slush Pile

This item was recently submitted by a reader.
Should I include it in the archive?
Vote to tell me what *you* think!

house got burned because of spider

2007 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

Zülpich: Frau brannte Haus nieder - sie wollte Spinnen töten In Zülpich hat eine Frau beim Versuch mehrere Spinnen in ihrer Garage zu töten versehentlich eine ganze Doppelhaus-Hälfte unbewohnbar gemacht. Sie hatte zuerst versucht, die Spinnen mit Haarspray zu töten, was ihr aber misslang. Danach versuchte sie die Tiere mit einem Feuerzeug zu verbrennen. Dabei entstand durch das versprühte Haarspray eine so große Flamme, dass diese eine Hecke zum Brennen brachte. Sie schaffte es dann nicht, mit einem Gartenschlauch das Feuer zu löschen. Von der Hecke griff das Feuer dann auf das Haus über, das seitdem unbewohnbar ist. Die Feuerwehr konnte nur noch den Übergriff auf das Nachbarhaus verhindern. Der Sachschaden soll über 100.000 Euro betragen. http://www.shortnews.de/start.cfm?id=587780

Submitted on 12/30/2007

Submitted by: Anonymous
Reference: Stern Short News 02.09.05

Copyright © 2008 DarwinAwards.com

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>> Moderator Scores <<

Bruce said:
Maybe Toss: No Self-Selection
While an amusing story it sounds like the woman simply didn't think things through but never was in any real danger. True she burned down her house, but it doesn't sound like there is any self-selection involved here. Thanks just the same.


Chip said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
While there was no injury (or worse) from the twice-stupid attempt to kill a spider, there very well could have been so I will vote for an honorable mention on this one.


James said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
There are impulsive, phobia-driven acts, and then there's this. Unless spiders in Germany are anthropophagous and three or more feet in diameter, I can see no reason this woman couldn't have just gone to the nearest store and purchased a can of "Raid" or other similar insecticide. Perhaps this is more overreaction than stupidity, but the fact that she tried it a SECOND time is what does it for me! Thanks!


Darwin Awards III: Survival of the Fittest

Hardback. 304 pages. Autographed.
$15
The human race's most popular humor series returns with a brand-new collection of macabre mishaps and misadventures. Honoring those who improve our gene pool by inadvertently removing themselves from it, the Darwin Awards III shows once more how uncommon common sense still is.

Salute the sheriff who inadvertently shot himself--twice! Witness the insurance defrauder who amputated his leg with a chainsaw! Heed the story of the farmer who avoided bee stings by sealing his head in a plastic bag! Cringe at the man crushed by a branch he'd just severed... directly over his head!

123 new stories, 18 full-page illustrations, plus discussions of transgenic animals, the origin of life, and more.

Autographed by Author!

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