Man fined after cigar starts fire that destroys Tampere apartment building

A 38-year-old man has been fined 40 day-fines and ordered to pay over €25,000 in compensation after a fire in Tampere’s Maisansalo district last April destroyed a two-storey apartment building, Pirkanmaa District Court ruled.

The man had been smoking a small cigar on his second-floor balcony before going to bed. The cigar ignited the balcony table, which then spread to the wooden building, reducing the 12-unit property to a state requiring demolition.

The court found him guilty of causing public danger due to negligence, noting he had not ensured the cigar was fully extinguished. As an aggravating factor, the fire caused over €300,000 in damages. Mitigating circumstances included the man’s severe burns, which left him unable to work.

Five other residents escaped unharmed. The man denied liability, arguing he had used an ashtray—a modified military mess tin—properly.

Twenty-one claimants sought compensation, but the court halved the amounts due to the man’s financial situation. He must also cover nearly €6,000 in legal costs for one claimant. The insurance company will rebuild the property at its own expense.

The ruling is not yet final.