A man has been found guilty and jailed for arson following a serious flat fire that endangered the lives of other occupants and resulted in the death of a dog.

Stuart Radham, 61, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday 13 January, where he was sentenced to eight years imprisonment for arson and an additional non-concurrent charge of four years for dangerousness.

The incident occurred at 3.53am on 26 October 2022, when firefighters from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) were called to the fire in Meadowfield Close, Rock Ferry. Three fire engines attended the incident, which was at a two-storey block of flats, with a property on the first floor involved in fire. The fire was extinguished by firefighters, who sadly found a deceased dog in the property.

As a result of the fire, residents were evacuated from their homes and three people were taken to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation. 

Investigators from MFRS’ Incident Investigation Team began a joint investigation with Merseyside Police shortly after the fire was extinguished.

The investigation found there to be major damage to all rooms in the flat, as well as additional damage to neighbouring properties. It was determined that the fire was started deliberately causing toxic fumes to spread around the property, which could have put other residents at risk.

Area Manager Mark Thomas, Head of Prevention for MFRS said “On sentencing, the Judge in this case stated that firefighters were brought into a position of real danger and risk in tackling the blaze and there was a real risk of many lives being endangered by Radham’s actions.”

“The rapid actions of our firefighters ensured that the fire was extinguished before it could cause more serious damage beyond the significant damage already caused and it was fortunate that residents evacuated the building to avoid the obvious hazards to them.”

“Arson is a serious criminal offence which, in this case, directly put people’s lives at risk. We could easily have been looking at a more serious outcome involving multiple injuries or worse. Our investigators worked closely with Merseyside Police to ensure that this individual was brought into the criminal justice system, and I hope that the outcome of this case acts as a deterrent for others thinking of using fire in such a way.”

To report a crime, always contact 999 in an emergency.

Anyone with information about people lighting fires can call 101, contact @MerPolCC or Crimestoppers anonymously @CrimestoppersUK or on 0800 555 111.