TIBUBENENG, Bali — A villa in North Kuta was destroyed by fire after a foreign tourist allegedly tried to scare away a spider by burning a piece of paper in the bathroom.

The fire broke out at around 12:30 p.m. on Monday, October 5, at a villa on Jalan Aseman Bagus in Banjar Aseman Kangin, Tibubeneng Village, Badung.

Police identified the tourist as Gaorap Rana, 45, a Nepalese national.

According to Badung Police, Rana became uncomfortable after noticing a spider in the bathroom and decided to burn a piece of paper in an attempt to drive it away.

“After burning the paper, the victim left the bathroom and went to the work room. The burning paper was apparently carried by strong winds and caught the thatched roof,” Badung Police spokesperson Ipda Ni Nyoman Yuni Eltari said.

The villa’s dry alang-alang roof quickly caught fire, while strong winds helped the flames spread across the building.

Police said the hot and dry conditions caused the fire to grow rapidly, raising concerns that it could spread to nearby homes.

Rana managed to get out safely, but the villa and its contents were destroyed.

Authorities estimated the material losses at around Rp2 billion.

“The fire spread quickly and burned all parts of the villa. The losses are estimated at Rp2 billion,” Yuni said.

No injuries were reported in the incident.

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