A UNIVERSITY student has been jailed after twice setting fire to halls of residence, causing almost £150,000 in one incident and forcing about 60 people to be evacuated.

Southampton Crown Court heard how Shao Teng Wang had been allowed to stay the night in a block of flats by an acquaintance he had met two years earlier through a social website.

At the time, she was looking after the premises for friends who were away on holiday.

Prosecutor James Newton-Price said the following day, Wang removed his belongings from the flat and the pair went to a restaurant, but at the end of the meal, he said he could not find his wallet.

They returned to the flat and Wang eventually left – having set a fire in the main bedroom first.

The court heard how eight fire engines had to be called to the scene in Salford, near Manchester.

Eight firefighters wearing breathing apparatus searched the place for potential casualties.

The fire caused £135,000 worth of damage to the flat and caused the occupier to lose about £15,000 worth of property, including jewellery, clothing and a computer.

Police found Chinese writing in the flat and a mandarin interpreter made out the words ‘all,’ ‘die’, ‘you,’ and ‘hate’ as well as ‘all going to die.’ Wang, who was taken to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation, was bailed and returned to Southampton where the following day he started another fire at Aubrey House in Highfield Lane.

Mr Newton-Price said a female student was woken by the fire alarm and opened the door to find smoke and a burned toilet roll on the floor.

A security guard tackled the fire with a bucket of water.

Wang, 24, of Pansy Road, Bassett, Southampton, admitted two charges of arson when reckless as to whether life would be endangered.

Recorder Paul Lawrie QC described the Salford fire as “ a spectacular piece of recklessness” as he jailed Wang for 58 months. He will be deported after completing his sentence.

In mitigation, Richard Martin described the arson attacks as “cries for help” and had not been a personal vendetta.