Suspect charged with arson in Brooklyn fire that destroyed 1 building, damaged 2 others
A man is facing several charges, including arson, in connection to a Brooklyn fire that destroyed one building and damaged two others.
Cassius Moss, 54, is accused of starting the three-alarm fire at 922 Lafayette Ave. in Bedford-Stuyvesant on June 4, .
According to the FDNY, Moss was caught on camera buying a bottle of accelerant at a local deli. The FDNY says Moss then returned to the building on Lafayette Avenue, poured the bottle of accelerant on the floor and used a cigarette lighter to ignite it before leaving.
Moss was arraigned and remanded Tuesday.
"This reckless individual put the lives of residents and responding firefighters at risk when he set this fire," FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker said in a statement. "Thanks to the excellent work of the outstanding Bureau of Fire Investigation, this individual was arrested and will be held responsible for his dangerous act."
The FDNY says Moss was previously arrested for arson in July 2023.
Over a dozen displaced by Bedford-Stuyvesant fire
It took firefighters just over four hours to get the blaze under control, and over 130 fire and EMS personnel responded to the scene. One firefighter suffered minor injuries.
The FDNY says the fire caused 922 Lafayette Ave. to completely collapse. The Department of Buildings also issued a demolition order for a neighboring building due to structural concerns, .
No residents were injured, but the fire forced over a dozen out of their homes.
One resident said her daughter's cap, gown and prom dress were lost in the blaze just weeks before high school graduation.
"I fought hard to get this place. I fought hard for my kids to have somewhere to stay nice," she said.
The Red Cross registered 14 adults and one child for assistance, and other displaced residents were able to relocate themselves.
