Pennsylvania man accused of arson. His motive? He needed to ‘kill the spiders within’

A Monroe County, Pennsylvania, man is in custody, accused of arson after allegedly setting his townhome on fire. The flames spread, damaging several nearby residences. When asked why he did it, the man said, “he needed to kill the spiders within,” according to local news outlet WGAL. Police eventually caught up with the man in New York.

Pennsylvania police have identified the suspect as Sean McDermott, 36, a resident of Pocono Pines in Monroe County, about 100 miles north of Philadelphia. According to authorities, it happened on Monday evening, February 23, 2026, when police and fire crews responded to the 600 block of Uncus Lane at about 6 p.m. after reports of a structure fire.

Eyewitnesses told investigators that they saw McDermott setting multiple small fires inside his own townhouse throughout the day before the larger blaze broke out. One witness said McDermott told him he was trying to kill spiders inside the house.

A witness also said that whenever he extinguished a flame, McDermott would relight it, even placing a loveseat over a smoldering fire on the floor in one instance.

The fire damaged several homes

Firefighters later reported that the initial blaze began inside McDermott’s unit and then spread to three adjoining townhomes, ultimately damaging all four connected residences.

Fire crews from at least eight volunteer departments battled the blaze amid high winds, icy conditions, and frigid temperatures. It took them roughly eight hours to bring the fire under control, though no serious injuries were reported.

McDermott left the scene in a rented U-Haul truck. Initially wanted by the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department on charges including arson, aggravated arson, causing or risking a catastrophe, criminal mischief, and recklessly endangering another person, McDermott’s whereabouts were unknown for several days.

On Wednesday, February 25, 2026, NYPD officers arrested McDermott in New York City after he was involved in a hit-and-run collision in Midtown Manhattan. NYPD officers responded to the scene near East 23rd Street and Madison Avenue, where McDermott abandoned the U-Haul, causing a bomb scare, and fled on foot before officers took him into custody.

At the time of his arrest, police found McDermott in possession of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and a liquid accelerant inside the truck, according to WABC New York.

Once in custody, authorities charged McDermott with resisting arrest, unauthorized use of a vehicle, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and unlawful possession or sale of noxious materials. This all came in addition to the outstanding Pennsylvania warrant.

McDermott, who has prior arrests in New York City, including a 2019 assault, appeared before a judge in New York; officials now expect to extradite him to Pennsylvania to face arson and related charges.

As of the latest reports, McDermott remains in custody and is awaiting extradition to Pennsylvania. Local authorities continue to work with fire officials and housing agencies to address the aftermath of the blaze, including the displacement of several families from the damaged townhomes.