A woman in her 20s from Osan, South Korea, is facing criminal charges after allegedly setting fire to her apartment while trying to kill a cockroach with an improvised flamethrower, causing the death of her neighbour.
According to police reports cited by PEOPLE and the BBC, the fire started around 5:30 a.m. on Monday, October 20, when the woman used a lighter and a flammable spray to burn a cockroach in her flat. The blaze quickly spread through the building, forcing residents to flee through windows.
Authorities said the suspect, described as “a flight risk,” is facing charges of accidental arson and causing death by negligence.
The woman reportedly admitted to using the same method before to kill insects.
Tragically, a Chinese woman in her 30s who had recently given birth died after falling from a fifth-floor window while trying to escape the smoke. Her husband survived by leaping across to a neighbouring building, after passing their baby to a neighbour.
Eight other residents suffered minor injuries from smoke inhalation. Police said investigations are ongoing and the case will be handed over to prosecutors once completed.
