Suspected Arsonist Under Arrest In Bronx Lobby Blaze, Police Say
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A suspected arsonist seen on video setting a Bronx apartment building on fire was arrested Tuesday, police say.
Surveillance video shows the man pour some type of accelerant in the lobby of the building on Bailey Avenue in the Kingsbridge section. He puts a piece of paper on the floor and lights it before running away.
The building's superintendent told CBS2 there were about 300 residents asleep inside.
"I woke up my family and my wife and said, 'get ready, we have a fire,'" Samuel Flores said. "I said, 'something really wrong is happening.'"
Fortunately, no one was hurt in the fire, which was contained to the lobby.
"Somebody did it on purpose, but I don't have any idea why or who. This is a nice building, quiet building, people are nice," said Flores. "He didn't do this against one person. It was against the whole building."
Waldo Mejia, 23, was arrested Tuesday and charged with arson and burglary. It's still unclear why the building was targeted.
