A man is facing a possible 12-year sentence for setting fire to his mother’s flat. He also stands accused of putting the lives of the other residents of the block in danger.

The suspect, 24year-old J.M.S.R., lived in his mother’s flat on the 8th floor of the said block in the centre of Granada. The mother and sister had moved out of the flat on the 22nd of November, owing to his conflictive and aggressive behaviour.

The next day at 10.00h he went into the living room and set fire to a stool and loose planks which he had surrounded with clothes and newspapers.

The ensuing fire generated a vast amount of smoke, alerting the residents and bringing them out into the corridors and stairwell. He then went out onto the landing himself and started another fire with the same materials, filling the stairwell and upper floors with yet more smoke.

The other residents tried to reason with him and convince him to put the fires out but he responded angrily that he was having a BBQ. However, they managed to put the fire on the landing out themselves and call the Policía Nacional.

His response was to punch one of the policemen in the face, which was not exactly conducive of a happy ending and resulted in his staying in alternative accommodation that night as a guest at the police station.

None of the residents nor the mother claimed for damages.

His trial is on the 22nd of January in the provincial court of Granada.

(News: Metropolitan Area, Granada, Andalucia)