The Neighbor Fell Asleep. The Building Burned.
A Call from
Nicosia
, January 24, 2026
At 11:00 a.m. on January 24, 2026, a phone rang.
The caller was not panicking.
Not asking for prices.
Not asking for quotes.
They said one sentence:
“My neighbor fell asleep while smoking. Her apartment burned completely.”
Then a pause.
“My apartment didn’t burn. But where do I stand now?”
That question captures one of the most misunderstood risks of apartment living in North Cyprus.
Even If You Didn’t Start the Fire
Most people assume:
- I didn’t cause it
- My apartment didn’t burn
- The fire brigade handled it
- It’s over
But apartment risks do not work that way.
A fire:
- Spreads through smoke
- Weakens shared walls
- Damages electrical systems
- Affects common areas
- And creates consequences beyond one apartment
The damage may not be yours.
The exposure often is.
Smoking and Falling Asleep Changes Everything
There was one detail in this case that mattered more than all others:
A cigarette.
Smoking and falling asleep is not considered random.
It is a foreseeable behavior.
And in legal and insurance terms, foreseeable behavior equals negligence.
That single detail shifts the situation from “unfortunate accident” to liability exposure.
Being Next Door Is Not Being Safe
Even apartments that do not burn can face:
- Heavy smoke damage
- Hidden structural stress from heat
- Electrical weakening
- Temporary evacuation
- Loss of use of common areas
And one critical reality:
Saying “it wasn’t my fault” does not remove costs.
The Question That Actually Matters
After incidents like this, people ask:
“Who will pay?”
But the real question is:
“What is my legal position in this event?”
Because apartment fires are not only about:
- The apartment that burned
- Or the person who caused it
They are about how responsibility spreads across a building.
The Quiet Risk of Apartment Living
This is not a fire story.
It is a warning.
In apartments, the biggest risks are not always:
- Gas leaks
- Electrical faults
- Heaters or stoves
Very often, the risk is other people’s habits.
And those risks are silent.
They grow unnoticed.
They are usually understood too late.
One Final Line
Even if you didn’t start the fire,
you may still face its consequences.
This is not written for those who say,
“it won’t happen to me.”
It is written for those who one day ask,
“where do I stand now?”