An 81-year old New Mexico man found himself in a fable-like situation this week, when his house was burned down by a mouse that he had previously thrown into a burning pile of leaves.

Luciano Mares told the Associated Press that he found the mouse in his Fort Sumner, New Mexico home and immediately treated the creature with scorn.

“I had some leaves burning outside, so I threw it in the fire,” Mares said. “The mouse was on fire and ran back at the house.”

The fire completely destroyed the home, but Mares was unharmed.

“I’ve seen numerous house fires, but nothing as unique as this one,” local fire chief Jim Lyssy told the AP.

The mouse’s whereabouts are unknown.