In a provincial court, a man was sentenced to ten years in prison after authorities determined he caused a fire that put nine members of his family at risk while they slept inside the home. The incident occurred on November 9, 2019, at approximately 05:50, on Pintor Gaston Castello street, where the defendant lived with his mother, two sisters and six other young grandchildren. The verdict states that the defendant deliberately ignited the mattress in his bedroom and fled the residence without informing the others in the apartment. The court documented that his actions endangered the life and physical safety of everyone inside the home. The victims were able to escape when the mother noticed a large volume of smoke billowing from her son’s room and alerted the rest of the occupants.
The accused has been held in custody since the beginning of October for violating a restraining order that prohibited him from approaching his mother. He also breached another order that prohibited contact with his niece, whom he allegedly harassed. The man has a history of 78 prior arrests for criminal acts, with the most recent two weeks before the arrest involving violations of the restraint orders.
During the trial, the defendant claimed the fire started by accident, which contrasted with his earlier admission that he intentionally set the blaze on the day of his arrest. Police noted that his behavior following the incident did not suggest a motive consistent with an accidental fire. He reportedly left the residence without issuing warnings or taking steps to minimize harm to neighbors nearby.
There may be more than one victim
The ruling highlights that several relatives were present in the apartment, including minors who were asleep at the time, apart from the accused. The decision describes the event as an excessive risk that could have produced multiple victims if the flames had spread further or if more time had passed before residents noticed the smoke. The court emphasized the level of toxic fumes produced by materials within the bed and surrounding furnishings.
The incident began in the early hours when the occupants were unprepared for danger. The accused left the scene while the danger remained, overlooking the immediate threat to those nearby. The court noted that the risk presented by the defendant was far too high and warranted a lengthy sentence. The sentence reflects the seriousness of endangering a household and the broader community as the fire threatened not only the residents but neighbors and the building structure as well.