A Mount Isa man has caused an explosion while trying to spray cockroaches in his kitchen using an insect spray as a flamethrower.

Police and fire crews were called to the incident at a home on Abel Smith Parade, Mt Isa, about 8pm on Wednesday.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services said the man suffered lacerations to his head and hand from shrapnel caused by the explosion.

He was taken to the Mount Isa Hospital.

Several other people were also in the house but were not injured.

Station officer Ian Louden said they believed the man ignited a can and a half of insect spray while trying to burn the cockroaches, causing windows to shatter and significant damage to the kitchen and walls of the house.

He said pest spray has clear labels warning against exposing them to a naked flame.

“The instructions are put on these things for a purpose and if failure to follow them can result in as it did in this case extreme damage to the property,” he said.

Police and firefighters outside the house shortly after the explosion on Wednesday night. Photo: ABC

“The people are very lucky that there wasn’t serious injury or death.”

“He was the only one injured.

“The explosion, for want of a better term, remained in the kitchen-lounge room area.

“My understanding is the other people in the house were in their bedrooms at the time.

“It didn’t travel very far, but it was a very vicious explosion in the area where it was.”

The injured man’s family said he was released from hospital on Wednesday night with stitches to his head.

The family said the house was unliveable and they were packing up to move while they awaited repairs.

Firefighters said it was lucky nobody was seriously injured by the explosion. Photo: ABC

Neighbour Kerrod Karkadoo said the explosion made everything vibrate.

“We were just sitting out and having a few beers and we just heard ‘boohowww’,” he said.

“There was a bloke walking around, holding his face.”

Fellow neighbour Stacey Corporal said she was sitting on her verandah when she heard the bang.

“With the kids out on the street, I thought, I ran out of the yard with panic,” she said.

“[The kids] were scared, because they were practically like right in front of the house and they just ran with the fright.

“He was just running around holding his face from where all the glass or whatever [hit him].

“My son got interviewed and he’s told me that the police said it was just nothing to worry about, he was just trying to kill cockroaches – which is pretty silly.”

-ABC