Romeo with a torch: Siberian man sets dorm on fire to impress ex

Five people ended up in hospital after a romantic plan to win back an ex-girlfriend by starting a fire in her dorm and saving residents from the blaze went wrong. The rejected lover is now facing five years in prison for arson.

The unlucky Romeo from the Siberian city of Omsk told police that he went to the dormitory where his former girlfriend lived, but he didn’t dare face her in case she rejected his advances.

The man, who was already intoxicated, instead came up with a plan to start a fire in the building and then emerge as a hero by saving the residents from the ensuing blaze.

He started the fire in the utility space of the building but failed in his attempts to put it out, forcing the residents to call the fire service. As a result of the stunt, five people including two children were hospitalized with carbon monoxide poisoning.

Police later arrested the hapless romantic in a cafe nearby. The authorities didn’t appreciate the sentiment behind his actions and have launched a criminal investigation, classing the incident as an act of hooliganism.

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