Man stood laughing and taking selfies as blaze ripped through his home

Man Found Laughing and Taking Selfies While Home Burns Down

A man in Ayrshire, Freddie Pritchard, was seen standing outside his flat, laughing and taking selfies while fire crews fought a blaze he started. Pritchard had lit a cigarette on his bed, along with aerosol canisters and vapes before leaving the room. The building, with three other flats and commercial units, had to be evacuated due to thick smoke. Initially claiming the blaze was caused by a faulty phone charger, the 29-year-old, a convicted sex offender, admitted to wilful-fire-raising in court. Pritchard will be sentenced next month after being released from prison earlier this year.

One of the neighbouring tenants returned home to the block shortly after the fire started and witnessed the alarming scene. He heard an alarm in Pritchard’s flat, then saw flames and smoke billowing out. The neighbour and his pets were helped out of the smoke-filled building by the fire brigade. Pritchard reportedly made no attempt to alert his neighbours to the fire and was seen outside in a light-hearted manner, taking selfies and photos, and making phone calls.

Despite initially claiming his phone charger caused the fire, a later investigation revealed the blaze was intentional. Pritchard later admitted to witnesses that he used a cigarette to start the fire, with the aim of being charged or returning to live with his parents. South Ayrshire Council estimated the repair costs to be between £25,000-£30,000. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident. Pritchard has been remanded in custody until his sentencing in December.

In summary, the reckless actions of Freddie Pritchard resulted in a dangerous blaze that endangered lives and caused significant damage to the property. Pritchard’s lack of remorse and irresponsible behaviour during the fire highlights the seriousness of the situation. The community was lucky that no one was hurt, but the incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of reckless actions like arson. Let this case be a lesson in the importance of fire safety and responsible behaviour in emergency situations.