Karlovarský kraj: Drunk man sets house on fire with children inside

A 46-year-old man has been charged following an arson attack on a house in the Karlovy Vary region. The incident occurred on Monday evening after the man, who was under the influence of alcohol, filled a canister with gasoline at a service station in Karlovy Vary.

According to police spokesperson Jan Bílek, the man drove to a village where he had previously lived with his wife. He broke a glass pane at the entrance of a house and poured gasoline inside. At the time, a 28-year-old tenant and her two children were inside the residence. The man reportedly ordered the occupants to leave before setting the flammable liquid on fire.

Neighbors heard the commotion and managed to extinguish the fire themselves. All occupants escaped the building safely without injury. The man subsequently drove to the regional police headquarters to confess to the crime. Testing revealed he had a blood alcohol content of 1.73 per mille and was driving despite a valid driving ban. He faces charges of property damage, endangerment under the influence of substances, and defying an official decision, with a potential prison sentence of up to three years. Damages are estimated to exceed one million CZK.