Woman sentenced to five years for starting Tampere apartment fire

A woman has received a five-year unconditional prison sentence for intentionally starting a devastating apartment fire in Tampere's Tammela district. Anni Eliisa Pieski was also ordered to pay more than 670,000 euros in compensation to 77 affected individuals, insurance companies, and the housing company.

The fire, ignited by the now 24-year-old woman on September 6, 2025, began in the first-floor stairwell of the seven-story building at Kullervonkatu 24. The court found that the act was aggravated by the fact that the fire was set in the middle of the night while most residents were asleep. The stairwell quickly filled with smoke, creating a highly dangerous situation for the occupants.

During the main hearing in January, the court had already determined the woman guilty of aggravated destruction of property. The court concluded that the fire posed a serious danger to a large number of people, deeming the act egregious. A final sentence was delayed pending a psychiatric evaluation, which found the woman to be of sound mind at the time of the offense, understanding her actions and their consequences.

Prosecutors had sought a sentence of around seven years, while the defense argued for a lighter sentence of approximately three years, citing the woman's self-reporting and cooperation in the investigation. The fire forced the evacuation of 43 people from the approximately 40 apartments in the building. Two individuals sustained injuries, and the building suffered significant fire and smoke damage.

Evidence at the scene included parts of aerosol cans, which police believe may have been used in the arson. The woman, who did not reside in the building but had obtained a key, admitted to starting the fire. She had previously expressed remorse in court, stating there was no logical reason for her actions, though she had also mentioned feeling persecuted and acting on impulse. She later told the court she believed "certain groups of people" were persecuting her and she needed to act to stop it.