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Arson Arrest Made In Sunset Park Fire That Injured 31

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Fire marshals have arrested a man accused of setting a weekend fire in a Brooklyn apartment building that injured 31 people.

Sunset Park Fire
A pedestrian stops to look at a building that caught fire earlier in Sunset Park (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

The fire department said 56-year-old Chiu Tsang was arrested on charges of arson after they reviewed video surveillance tapes of the fire.  Tsang was identified at the scene and made a number of incriminating admissions, according to the FDNY.

The blaze at the four-story building at 61st Street broke out around 5 a.m. Sunday. It took more than 140 firefighters over two hours to bring the flames under control.

Four civilians suffered life-threatening injuries and eight firefighters were also injured.

In addition to the arson charge, Tsang also faces charges of criminal mischief and multiple counts of assault. Officials said the motive remains unclear and that the suspect did not  live in the building.

(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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