A West Cumbrian man has been jailed for four years after setting fire to a house.
Russell Mason, 38, of Barnett Drive, Seaton was sentenced to four years at Carlisle Crown Court for arson with recklessness as to life being endangered after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing.
He had set a fire and left the gas cooker on.
On March 10, a concerned neighbour on Queens Avenue, Seaton heard smashing noises from the next-door property and contacted another neighbour with her concerns.
Mason was seen by the neighbour climbing from the kitchen window where he then sat on the front doorstep.
The neighbour then noticed the house was ablaze and called emergency services, confronting Mason with concerns for their family.
Neighbours were concerned if there was another occupant in the property, but Mason laughed and walked away as neighbours risked their lives forcing entry to the home to search for other occupants.
Mason then ran when he heard emergency services arriving to the scene before he was arrested.
Detective Constable Ben Wright, of Cumberland CID, said: “By setting the home ablaze with fuel and leaving the gas cooker on, Mason not only risked his own life, but also those of the family in the adjoining property and others who rushed to help.
“Luckily, no one was injured, but the fire was well-developed causing significant damage. We take arson offences extremely seriously and today’s sentence reflects that.”
