The individual responsible for deliberately setting the fire in Veliko Tarnovo has two prior sentences for antisocial behavior and drug possession. The incident took place early Sunday morning, when a blaze erupted between the city’s two largest neighborhoods, Buzludzha and Cholakovtsi.

Municipal surveillance cameras recorded two men walking through an alley, with one repeatedly attempting to ignite dry grass until the fire finally took hold. The arsonist, a 33-year-old man from Dryanovo with a criminal record, was quickly identified and detained.

The fire, which broke out at 1:18 a.m., threatened nearby homes and came dangerously close to a local school. Nearly 100 firefighters, supported by military and forestry personnel from the Veliko Tarnovo and Gabrovo regions, worked throughout the night to contain the flames. Firefighting teams remained on alert into the following day to prevent any flare-ups.

Mayor Daniel Panov shared footage of the act on social media, condemning the man’s actions and highlighting the serious risk posed to residents. He confirmed all evidence has been forwarded to the Ministry of Interior and the Prosecutor’s Office and pledged to demand the strictest penalties.

Following the fire’s containment, additional support arrived from servicemen of the Gorna Oryahovitsa unit, the Vasil Levski National Forestry Academy, and State Forestry teams to assist with ongoing efforts to fully extinguish the affected area.

Sources:

• BTA
• Dir.bg
• Facebook