Self immolator calls the fire brigade

A MAN who set out to end his life by burning himself alive in his Lerwick flat ended up calling the fire brigade last New Year’s Eve.

Forty year old Douglas Preacher, who admitted arson at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday, had drunk 12 cans of lager before spraying his bedroom at 4 Da Vadill with lighter fuel and setting it alight.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said: “The fire quickly took hold and unsurprisingly began to generate thick smoke that began to choke him to such an extent that he was unable to tolerate it and then decided against ending his life.”

Preacher called 999 and within seconds the police arrived with the fire brigade close behind, who discovered smoke billowing out of the roof of the flats.

Meanwhile several smoke alarms had gone off and the neighbours who were celebrating the arrival of the new year all had to immediately evacuate their homes.

Mr Mackenzie said that Preacher made no attempt to alert his neighbours, but simply waited in the stairwell for the emergency services to arrive, whereupon he admitted what he had done and why he had done it.

The fiscal added that the housing association flats were new and highly sought after. He said the damaged flat was out of commission for “an extended period of time” and cost almost £40,000 to repair.

Preacher now lives at 22 Ladies Drive, Lerwick, and must wait until 6 July before he is sentenced.

Sheriff Graeme Napier deferred the case for social work reports after hearing Preacher was on medication after being signed off work for depression.