Arsonist starts fire at Nottingham city centre tower block as residents sleep

A mentally ill arsonist has admitted to starting a fire in a towering Nottingham apartment building that forced hundreds of residents to be evacuated. Andrew Dmytruk, 63, of Hodgkinson Street in Netherfield recklessly damaged the 14-floor Litmus Building on Huntingdon Street, Nottingham city centre, and cars within its car park with his arson attack on April 29.

At Nottingham Crown Court on Monday, June 17, he pleaded guilty to setting the dangerous fire, which he lit at around 3.25am when most residents were fast asleep. The blaze threatened to spread and further damage the building, Nottinghamshire Police said, but was stopped by eight fire engines and crews from Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service.

The fire forced hundreds of residents, including families, to flee the Litmus Building, with them having to find refuge for around four hours until they were let back in at 7.30am. Judge Nirmal Shant KC explained Dmytruk was accused of “being reckless as to whether life was endangered”.

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The court heard that in the case of Dmytruk, who is currently in custody in Leicester Prison, the commissioning of a psychiatric report was appropriate. This would allow the justice system to “get more information about his mental health,” the judge said.

Dmytruk, who reportedly has a mental age of 10, was previously jailed for four years in Spain after he set fire to a Benidorm hotel in 2010. The then 51-year-old's actions resulted in some guests requiring hospital treatment for smoke inhalation.

During his hearing for the recent fire, Dmytruk spoke only to confirm his identity to the court and to confirm he could see what was happening as he appeared via video. The judge told Dmytruk to not assume any aspect of his potential sentence because of the ordering of the psychiatric report.

Judge Shant KC set his sentencing date for July 29, adding: “The sooner he knows his fate the better.” Residential Management Group (RMG), which manages the Litmus Building, was served with an enforcement notice by Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service just before the fire as there were problems with fire detection systems, escape routes and exits.