Woman charged with arson for starting fire to kill spider

A 34-year-old woman from Hutchinson, Kansas, was arrested early on Friday after five Fire Department units were called out at 1:36am to extinguish a small fire in her half of a duplex.

Deputy Fire Chief Doug Hanen said that firefighters found light smoke coming from the woman’s half of the duplex and some clothing smouldering just inside the doorway.



Although no one was injured, and there was no damage to the structure other than light smoke damage, Ginny M. Griffith was arrested on a charge of aggravated arson because the other half of the duplex also was occupied.

A police summary of the incident said Griffith told officers that she used a cigarette lighter to set some towels on fire to kill a spider. Griffith is being held in the Reno County jail in lieu of $7,500 bond.