In the Leningrad region, a man started a fire in a rented apartment after an argument with his girlfriend. The incident unfolded in the village of Mga, within the Kirov district, on the morning of January 10. A sofa on the fifth floor of a building on Zheleznodorozhnaya Street caught fire, drawing the attention of neighbors and emergency crews alike. The resident, a 25-year-old man who was reportedly intoxicated, was detained on suspicion of arson. Officials indicated that he had threatened to ignite the residence during a heated conversation with his partner, then acted on that threat as emotions ran high.
A neighbor reported smoke at the entrance, and the Ministry of Emergency Situations swiftly extinguished the blaze. The burn area covered about 1.5 square meters, and crews checked neighboring units to ensure there was no further danger or spread of flames.
An apartment owner named Elena said a 22-year-old woman had been renting the space since spring but only recently learned that she did not live alone. The day before the emergency, the couple argued and the woman left the apartment. The man reportedly tried to locate her with friends and continued arguing on the phone, unable to cope with his emotions.
“He took the dog and the cat outside, set them on fire, closed the door and left,” Elena recounted. Neighbors restrained him, and law enforcement officers placed him in custody soon after.
Property damage was estimated at about 48 thousand rubles, and there were no fatalities. Investigators will review the collected evidence to decide whether criminal proceedings should be initiated, with decisions expected after the scene was examined and statements were taken.
Earlier reports described a separate incident in which a roommate pushed a St. Petersburg woman out of an apartment window during a fight.