Scared of Snakes? Never Do This, or Your House Might Burn Down

It's not uncommon to become almost paralyzed with fear when facing some of the planet's less friendly-looking creatures like spiders, snakes, or cockroaches.  Some people have no problem squashing them or taking them outside, while others can barely stand the thought.

Now, a Texas woman claims she was so frightened by an unexpected snake in her yard that rather than let it be or move it with a stick, she threw gasoline on it and set it ablaze.

The end result?  A fire so out of control that it burned her house down, and damaged a neighbor's.

(Photo: KSLA-TV)

"The snake went into the brush pile, and the brush pile caught the home on fire," Deputy Randall Baggett of the Bowie County Sherriff's office explained.

Fox25 has part of the 911 call:

Homeowner: We were trying to kill a snake with fire … It done caught the house …

Dispatcher: Caught the house?

Homeowner: Yes, the house is on fire. Could you hurry up please?

KSLA News 12 has more on the story:

KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana News Weather

Local fire chief David Wesslehoft said animals have spread fires before, though he's never come across a situation quite like this.

"Yes, it could happen with rabbits and big field mice," Wesslehoft stated. "Once they start burning the grass, they get out of their hole, they have been known to catch fire and then take off.”

"She just didn't like snakes, I guess," he concluded.

The fire is still being investigated, however, and it's unclear whether charges will be filed.