The man, who has been living in a house completely filled with household items for several years, is well known to the State Fire and Rescue Service.
Things catch fire in the building from time to time, and the last fire destroyed most of the property, reports the show Degpunktā (TV3).
At the burned house, where several piles of various items and debris stand after the fire, "Degpunktā" met the owner.
The man is taciturn; he takes care of his dog and tends to the affairs on the property: "What is there to tell. (DP: Why did it catch fire?) The chimney caught fire. (DP: Did it burn a lot?) Well, you can see for yourself. (DP: What will you do now?) Repairs need to be done. (DP: You have a lot of things.) Well, yes, firewood, firewood. A stove. A stove."
Firefighters reported that the man left the burning house on his own and was under medical observation for a time. Upon returning, even before the rescuers left the scene, the owner had already started sorting through the items.
Most of the items will likely end up back in the house, despite one side no longer having a roof. It was precisely because of the cluttered rooms that extinguishing the fire took over 12 hours.
Rescuers have been called to this address more than once. The "Degpunktā" team was also with the man six years ago. At that time, the fire was significantly smaller. This time, rooms covering an area of 200 square meters were burned.
The man himself claims that he has somewhere to live — possibly in another part of the property, in outbuildings. As early as 2020, it was reported that the Riga municipal police had initiated several administrative proceedings due to waste accumulation.
"Degpunktā" inquired with law enforcement about how the situation had developed in recent years. In 2025, the man repeatedly came to the attention of the municipal police for violations of the Waste Management Act and the mandatory rules of the Riga City Council — in particular, for not having a waste disposal contract, uncleaned territory, and environmental degradation.
After the intervention of law enforcement, the violations were rectified, and the administrative commission in these cases decided to impose an administrative penalty — a warning.
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