Nottingham man with alcohol problems set fire to his own flat in tower block

Six fire engines attended the scene in Clifton and residents had to be evacuated

An arsonist caused roads to be closed when he deliberately set fire to his own 16th-floor flat in Nottingham. Nottingham Crown Court heard how six fire engines were called to the home of Richard Blunt who had started the blaze in three separate locations.

The 45-year-old’s actions forced some residents to be evacuated while crews fought through toxic smoke to put out the flames which he started using clothing and an accelerant. Now he has been sent to prison for endangering the lives of fellow residents and crews called to deal with the Clifton fire.

Jailing him for three years, Judge Penny Coe KC said: “You have to understand the seriousness of setting fires and the real risk of serious harm to life that poses. This was on the 16th floor of a block which has 22 stories.

“Six fire engines had to attend, roads had to be cleared and there was zero visibility (inside the flat), which made the risk even higher for those firefighters. I accept at the time your emotional and mental state was at a low ebb but what you did endangered lives.

“This is also aggravated by the sheer number of people who could have been harmed by your actions, that you used an accelerant and there were three seats of fire inside your flat.

“It is also aggravated by your constant use of alcohol at the time. You were doing nothing else (other) than excessive drinking.”

Katrina Wilson, prosecuting, said police were called to the 22-storey block in Farnborough Road, at around 10pm on March 30 this year. She said earlier in the day the defendant had been in “an emotional state” and had threatened to take his own life so his partner called the police with her concerns.

The prosecutor said: “They conducted an area search and found the defendant close by. The fire he started was on the 16th floor and six fire engines were in attendance. When they got to the flat the door was ajar and smoke was coming from within it.

“They needed a thermal imaging camera to find the seat of the fire which involved clothing, fabric, some CDs and some plastic. Fans were deployed to clear the smoke and two more smaller seats of fire were found on cushions on a sofa. There were large levels of toxic smoke and significant damage had been caused to the flat.”

Blunt pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered. He does have previous convictions but nothing since 1997, Miss Wilson said.

Roger Wilson, mitigating, said his client knows that what he did “could have been disastrous and is pleased no one was hurt” and that he did not carry out his intention to take his own life.

He said: “This is a man who had significant difficulties at the time of the offence. At the time his life was a routine of get up, go to the shop, buy alcohol, go home, drink alcohol and go to sleep. That was his daily life.”