Man jailed for arson after fleeing flat fire in Birmingham
A man who started a flat fire in Birmingham without alerting his neighbours has been jailed for arson.
William McDonalgh, aged 34, of Birmingham, has been jailed for four and a half years after admitting to a charge of arson following an incident on January 14 of last year.
McDonalgh was understood to have knocked over a candle in the flat on Islington Row, which started the blaze in the early hours of the morning.
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He then left the flat without raising an alarm, and upon returning 10 minutes later, he saw the flames and went back in before being overcome by smoke.
Some residents also needed hospital treatment for smoke inhalation, with a number suffering a lasting impact from the incident.
The fire was said to have caused around £500,000 worth of damage to the building.
McDonalgh admitted to a charge of arson when he appeared before Birmingham Crown Court, and on January 27, he was handed the four-and-a-half-year jail term.
Detective Constable Sonia Bahia, of Bournville Lane CID, said: "This fire could have easily resulted in a loss of life, and has traumatised the victims involved.
"It is only proper that the man who caused it, and chose not to alert his flatmates, has now been jailed for a number of years."
