KUALA LUMPUR: A 33-year-old Australian man was arrested yesterday following an incident at Changi Airport Terminal 2 in which he allegedly set fire to the curtain blinds from a holding room, Channel News Asia (CNA) reported.
The police were called to the scene at around 2.15am after the man reportedly became verbally aggressive towards auxiliary officers when his request for a cigarette was denied.
According to the police, the man removed the curtain blinds from the room and set them alight using a lighter, threatening to intensify the fire if his demand for a cigarette was not met.
Officers from the Airport Police Division quickly extinguished the flames, but during the confrontation, the man reportedly used a fire extinguisher to spray the officers, the police said.
The man is set to be charged today with the offence of mischief by fire with intent to cause damage. If found guilty, he could face a prison sentence of up to seven years.
Assistant Commissioner of Police M Malathi, commander of the Airport Police Division, stated, "The police have zero tolerance for such blatant acts of violence against officers, or any actions that put the lives and safety of others at risk."
"We will take decisive action against anyone who flagrantly disregards the law."