Man who set fire to himself during arson attack jailed

Rana Kamran

2 More Image(s) In Gallery

A man who set himself alight during an arson attack on a takeaway has been sentenced.

Rana Kamran (born 22/05/1985), of Briar Street, Rochdale, was found guilty of arson following a trial at Minshull Street Crown Court.

Today, 11 July 2013, he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison.

In the early hours of Wednesday 16 May 2012, Kamran broke into Hafiz takeaway on Spotland Road, Rochdale.

He poured petrol around the place before setting fire to it.

As he did so he became engulfed in flames.

He fled the area, removing and dumping his coat in an alleyway behind the takeaway in the process.

Emergency services attended and officers from GMFRS extinguished the fire. An elderly lady was rescued from an adjoining flat and treated for smoke inhalation.

As part of the investigation it became apparent that entry had been forced into the takeaway and accelerants used to start the fire.

A singed jacket was recovered and forensic tests linked it to Kamran.

Remnants of a petrol canister were also recovered from the smouldering wreck.

Following the fire, Kamran took himself to hospital and told staff he had been cooking in his kitchen and had spilt a pan of oil on his hand and had then slipped and fallen in the oil.

He was later identified from DNA recovered from the jacket and arrested.

Detective Constable Michael Berger, said: “While we cannot speculate on Kamran’s motive for starting the fire, what is clear is that this was a deliberate act committed with the intention of causing as much damage as possible.

“Unfortunately for Kamran, his ineptitude led to him suffering serious injuries and proves that if you play with fire you will get burned.

“He also left behind vital evidence which was key to him getting convicted.”