Man Burns Down Parents’ House, Kills Three Pets Trying To Exterminate Ants

*I’m going to call this one:  Mother Nature 1, Dumb Ass Man 0.

A fire marshal in Maine says a man burned down his parent’s house and killed three pets while trying to exterminate ants in the basement. 

Devon Doucette’s weapon of choice during his entomological battle?  Wooden matches.

That fits.  You’d have had to be wooded-headed to cook THAT plan up.  

One of Doucette’s matches ignited something combustible that was being stored in the basement, investigators say.  The fire spread…like wildfire to the rest of the home.

The fire killed two cats and one dog, according to authorities, who also say that criminal charges are not likely.

By all reports, the ants remain unscathed.

Doucette, 21, was treated for burns and smoke inhalation, having suffered both trying to carry items out of the home.  Mercifully his parents, who owned the home, were not home at the time of the fire.

And the moral to THIS story, for all 21-year-olds and the young at heart, is:  

Check your surroundings for combustible materials BEFORE striking wooden matches!

This Public Service Announcement was brought to you by freelancer Michael P Coleman.  Connect with him on Twitter.