Police say the property was gutted in the blaze caused by Tatsuo Onishi lighting a cigarette after spraying pesticide outside.

Sparks from his lighter caused an explosion after igniting the flammable particles in the air and flames quickly spread to the building in Matsuyama.

Mr Onishi had been taking a nap inside his car parked outside his home when the mosquito began to annoy him, reports the Mainichi Daily News website.

Mosquito attacks man.

The 22-year-old attempted to exterminate the insect by spraying the area immediately outside the house.

He suffered minor burns to his face and neck in the incident. Nobody else was hurt.

One consolation for unlucky Tatsuo is that police believe the mosquito was killed in the fire.