A fast food worker has admitted setting fire to his place of work while in a “drunken anger”.
Omer Tarhan had "very little recollection" of what happened at Essex Fast Food in Collingwood Road, Witham.
But he admitted committing arson reckless to life or property following the incident in the early hours of August 6 last year.
Karl Volz, mitigating, said Tarhan had been in a rage when he broke into the takeaway and threw a till to the floor.
Tarhan had flicked a lit cigarette inside the shop and failed to put it out, but had not set fire to the shop deliberately, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.
He also did not mean to burn the shop down and was "completely unaware" that anyone might be sleeping upstairs.
"As far as he was aware, no-one lived or slept above any of the shops," said Mr Volz.
The court heard Tarhan, 38, of Bure Drive, Witham, was previously of good character.
The case was adjourned for reports.
Tarhan is due to be sentenced after March 3.
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