A 26-year-old man from the United Kingdom has been convicted after admitting to setting fire to his own house twice in the same night just so he can see firefighters in action.
The Northumberland native, who is identified as James Brown, seemed to be more captivated by firefighters than by the flames themselves, while a lot of people dream of becoming firefighters, Brown’s obsession took an unusual path. When admiring firefighters from a distance and making dozens of non-emergency calls wasn’t enough, he set fire to his own home.
The unusual series of events took place on the night of September 9, 2023, in Ashington, and according to reports, Brown’s house, situated on Eleventh Avenue, was the first to receive emergency services after he reported sparks from an energy meter and burning linen in a cabinet. Firefighters arrived, extinguished a little fire, and even turned off the electricity supply for safety.
They returned just 90 minutes later after Brown had reported yet another fire that involved bedding, but this time, his excuse fell flat, because the electricity had already been turned off. And this action from him, which looked suspicious, prompted the firefighters to begin their investigation.
Joe Hedworth, prosecuting, said: “The police concluded the fire had been deliberately started. The defendant was arrested and seemed quite happy about his arrest. He seemed fascinated about the presence of the fire and police at his property.”
It wasn’t long before the truth emerged. According to the Telegraph, court records later revealed Brown had called the fire department 80 times in the past 12 months alone.
On the night in question, he even filmed the firefighters as they worked, visibly enthusiastic about their presence. Ultimately, he pleaded guilty to two counts of arson while being reckless about endangering lives.
During sentencing, Judge Robert Adams acknowledged Brown’s unusual obsession. “You have said, in an ideal world, you would be a firefighter, and you have a long-standing interest in the fire service. It’s clearly an obsession,” the judge remarked.
Judged added: “Your primary interest seems to be contacting the fire service rather than setting fires. You waste the resources of the fire brigade, which could be used for more important matters where lives are in danger.”a
Brown received an eight-month suspended sentence, two years of probation, and 150 hours of unpaid work. His lawyer claimed he was “extremely remorseful” and had not contacted emergency services since his arrest. Efforts are reportedly underway to help him address his obsession.
The court heard Brown has recently been diagnosed with autism. He previously worked as an aircraft cleaner but is currently looking for work.
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