Man sentenced to three years imprisonment for arson in Tampere, Finland

In January 2022, a devastating fire broke out in a semi-detached house in Tampere, Finland, leading to significant property damage. One apartment was completely destroyed, and the neighboring unit also sustained major harm. The fire department evacuated three individuals from the building, one of whom required hospitalization.

According to the court, the fire was intentionally set by one of the apartment’s owners following a separation from his partner. The Turku Court of Appeal upheld the lower court’s ruling and sentenced Vesa Ilmari Salmesvuori, born in 1985, to three years of unconditional imprisonment for arson and several other crimes. Prior to the fire, the man had already caused damage to the property, including breaking windows, which contributed to the fire’s spread.

The fire was reportedly ignited by a mattress that caught fire in either the bedroom or the living room. Although the man claimed to have carried the mattress outside, the court found that the living room sofa also ignited during this time. The man’s identity was revealed due to the gravity of the crimes.

The couple had divorced in early 2020, and the former spouse was no longer residing in the house, nor was she present during the fire. Despite a restraining order against him, it had no effect. He was also convicted of stalking and three counts of assault against his ex-partner, violating the restraining order on two occasions. The man denied most of the charges in court and claimed he did not start the fire. In addition to his prison sentence, the court ordered him to pay over €300,000 in damages. He may seek permission to appeal the ruling in the Supreme Court.