Four minors charged after Stjørdal arson fire

Four underage boys have been charged in connection with a fire that left a Stjørdal apartment building uninhabitable, Norwegian police confirmed Friday, Dagbladet reports.

The blaze broke out on the rooftop terrace of the three-storey building in central Stjørdal on Thursday afternoon, causing full overtenning—complete fire involvement—of the top floor. Emergency services evacuated nearby buildings as flames and heavy black smoke engulfed the structure, with debris falling onto parked cars below. No injuries were reported, but the entire building, which housed both residential units and commercial spaces, is now uninhabitable.

Investigators suspect the fire was deliberately set. Ellen Mari Burheim, lead investigator at Stjørdal police station, told Bladet and Adresseavisen that the four suspects, all minors, are charged under Section 355 of Norway’s Penal Code for endangering public safety. Two of the boys have admitted to being on the roof before the fire started, she said.

“Both confirm they were on the building’s roof prior to the blaze,” Burheim stated. “While we await the remaining interviews, the hypothesis that open flames were used on the roof has been strengthened.” She added that the boys claimed they were on the roof “to have a place to hang out.”

Police identified the suspects after receiving eyewitness reports and had detained them by Thursday evening. Forensic teams are expected to examine the fire scene Friday morning to gather further evidence.

The fire began just before 4 PM on Thursday. Firefighters brought it under control by 5 PM, though the building’s structural damage has left all apartments unfit for occupancy. Authorities maintained a overnight watch at the site as part of the ongoing investigation.