Japanese man blows up apartment trying to kill cockroach

Blaze was so huge that it blew out a balcony window in this bizarre tale of man versus cockroach

A 54-year-old Japanese man accidentally caused an explosion in his apartment while attempting to kill a cockroach.

He reportedly used a large amount of insecticide to kill the pest on 10 December which led to the explosion in his apartment in Kumamoto on the island of Kyushu, about 230 miles southwest of Hiroshima, around midnight.

The police reported minor injuries to the resident and identified burn marks near his kotatsu, a Japanese heating table, according to Mainichi.

The unidentified man spotted a cockroach in his apartment in the city’s Chuo Ward and in an attempt to kill the pest, sprayed a large amount of insecticide.

A moment later, the apartment blew up, Kumamoto prefectural police said.

The blaze was so huge that a balcony window blew out because of the flame.

The National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan has received several reports of similar explosions linked to spraying insecticide near electrical outlets.

Spraying pesticides near electrical outlets can lead to damage and pose a risk of injury, as reported by various pest removal companies, according to Strait Times.

The incident has gained widespread attention on social media, with many users finding humour in the unusual situation. In this bizarre tale of man versus cockroach, several came up with jokes and suggestions in equal measure.

“Did the cockroach die though,” one social media user asked on Instagram.

Another suggested stomping on the cockroach as the best strategy to kill the pests. “Are you sure? They’ve survived worse,” wrote another user on X.

Yet another wrote: “The roach didn’t die of poison, it died of laughter.”