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Man Starts Fire In West Village Apartment While Neighbors Sleep, Police Say

By Danielle Tcholakian | May 27, 2016 3:21pm | Updated on May 31, 2016 8:52am
 The West Village apartment building had six occupied apartments when the fire was started on May 20, police said.
The West Village apartment building had six occupied apartments when the fire was started on May 20, police said.
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Shutterstock/Anna Huchak

WEST VILLAGE — A man started a fire in his own apartment while his neighbors were sleeping, police said.

The 52-year-old man started the fire around 3:55 a.m. on May 20 in his apartment on Horatio Street, police said.

His next-door neighbor saw the man come home and, shortly after, smelled smoke coming from the man's apartment, police said.

The fire department received a 911 call of a fire at the building about 4 a.m. and arrived to find a small fire in the bathroom, the FDNY said.

Police said when they arrived at the apartment, the man was inside alone and there was a pile of clothes burning inside the man's bathtub.

The surface of the bathtub was burned and charred and the gas oven and gas stove in the kitchen were also on and releasing gas into the apartment, police said.

Police said the building had six occupied apartments and they interviewed at least three witnesses who had been sleeping at the time the fire was started.

Fire marshals arrived on scene and determined that the fire was "incendiary in nature," prompting police to arrest the man for arson. The FDNY said their marshals' investigation is ongoing.

The man was taken to Bellevue Hospital to be treated for minor injuries and for a psychological evaluation, the FDNY said. He was arraigned via video from a hospital bed on May 25, according to court officials.

He was charged with felony arson in the second degree and reckless endangerment in the first degree. His lawyer did not immediately respond to a voicemail seeking comment.

The arraignment judge set the man's bail at $5,000 cash or bond. His next court date is June 8.