Arsonist who started block of flats fire showed 'reckless disregard for life'
63 year old jailed over April's city centre fire
An arsonist who put hundreds of lives at risk when he deliberately lit a fire in a city centre block of flats in Nottingham has been jailed.
Andrew Dmytruk torched a car and van in a car park on level three of the Litmus Building, in Huntingdon Street, on 29 April.
Occupants had to be evacuated from the complex, which has almost 300 flats and more than 600 residents, when it began to fill with smoke in the early hours.
Sixty-three-year-old Dmytruk, of Hodgkinson Street, Netherfield, Nottingham, was jailed for four-and-a-half years when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court today.
He had earlier pleaded guilty to committing arson while being reckless as to whether life was endangered.
Emergency services were called to the complex when fire alarms began to sound around 3.25am.
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service put out the fire and a joint investigation with police discovered an accelerant had been used and the blaze had been started deliberately.
CCTV footage revealed Dmytruk had caught a taxi to Clinton Street West before walking to the Litmus Building and forcing open the gates to the complex.
After starting the fire he is then seen exiting the building as fire alarms ring in the background.
Detectives discovered during the investigation that Dmytruk had been removed from the building by security staff on previous occasions.
He had been seen behaving in a bizarre manner and interfering with vehicles belonging to staff members.
Detective Sergeant Al Prentice, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“Lighting any fire is dangerous but to start a blaze in a complex housing hundreds of people shows a reckless disregard for life.
“I hope people who live in the Litmus Building take comfort from the response of the emergency services.
“The fire was rapidly brought under control and no one was hurt due to the efficient work of firefighters.
“Once it was revealed to be a deliberate ignition, officers have worked hard to identify Dmytruk as the offender using a host of investigative tools.
“Detectives have then built a case which left this arsonist with no alternative but to plead guilty.
“I’m pleased the judge has now put Dmytruk behind bars where he will hopefully reflect on this dangerous and reckless behaviour.”
Watch Manager for Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Arson Task Force, Chris Trendowicz, said:
“This incident saw a lot of disruption to the residents of the Litmus building and the wider community. This attack could have had a severe impact on those nearby, and ultimately, it put lives at risk."
“Over 50 firefighters attended this incident, and they were able to bring the fire under control quickly to stop it from spreading, however it meant our resources were tied up from attending other incidents if they were to come in, which could have potentially been even more significant.
“We will always work tirelessly with our emergency service colleagues to bring justice to those who put others at risk. Hopefully, this shows individuals that setting fires deliberately does have serious consequences.”