A teenage lady has been blamed for sparking a Bronx fireplace final week that claimed the life of a 27-year-old man and left one other coated in severe burns.
The NYPD introduced Sunday the arrest of a 15-year-old for the lethal Jan. 29 Soundview arson. The suspect, not recognized attributable to her age, faces prices of homicide, assault, arson, reckless endangerment and prison mischief.
Believed to be a runaway from upstate New York, police officers suspect the 15-year-old knew individuals within the constructing she allegedly set ablaze and should have had a dispute with them. Nevertheless, it doesn’t seem she had a connection to Abdoukarium Sakolly, 27, who died from accidents sustained within the fireplace.
Firefighters responded to the residential constructing on Evergreen Avenue final Sunday afternoon. The fireplace began round 2 p.m.
Video recovered from the scene displaying the obvious teen suspect exterior the constructing across the time of the hearth.
Surveillance video apparently captured the teenager, who police beforehand described as an individual of curiosity, seen strolling across the dwelling earlier than leaving and tucking one thing in her coat. Investigators mentioned they suspected it might have been a bottle of lighter fluid.
Moments earlier than the hearth broke out, she was seen strolling off.
Bekaye Toure suffered severe burns throughout his face and fingers. The Bronx man mentioned he’s grateful to be alive after towering flames almost killed him.
“I was asleep and then I see a lot of smoke in my room coming from the other room, so I tried to open the door and the flame came through and I had to run through the window — the ceiling fell on me,” he mentioned.
Video additionally confirmed Toure sliding down the roof of his condo constructing to flee the inferno. It additionally captured a quantity of good Samaritans doing what they may to assist pull him to security.
Investigators had been fast to name the hearth “suspicious,” however additional particulars of its origin are unknown.