Story of mouse burning down house proven false

January 10, 2006

Early media reports got it wrong in the case of a New Mexico man's house that burnt down after he tried to destroy a mouse he caught by burning it in a trash fire behind his home.

The wacky story was picked up by news agencies reporting that the burning mouse escaped the fire and scurried back into the home of Luciano Mares, aged 81, of Fort Sumner. The mouse allegedly caused a window curtain to ignite, and the fire spread to engulf the entire home.

Mares later indicated this was untrue. However, the bonfire did spread to the wooden house, which was completely destroyed as a result, according to local fire officials.