Police: 2 hurt after suspect starts fire inside Lower East Side spa
NEW YORK -- Two people were hurt Sunday after someone started a fire inside a Lower East Side spa, police say.
As CBS2's Thalia Perez reports, police say someone poured gasoline inside the spa and somehow ignited it.
Fire marshals, as well as the K-9 unit, were on the scene hours after it happened.
Officials say they were called to the spa at 129 Eldridge Street around 5 p.m. and had the fire under control within 30 minutes.
Philip Casaceli, who works at a nearby restaurant, says he jumped into action to help the victims inside.
"Seemed like a bomb went off, actually, inside, the way the clothes were shredded," he said.
Casaceli says a soot-covered jacket laying on the ground belonged to one of the people who came running out.
"When I opened the door what I saw was, like, a flame in the center of the floor, about 8 feet in, 10 feet in from the doorway, and then just looking around I saw it was all soot and black, from smoke," he said.
Police say a 46-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman both suffered second-degree burns to their chests. They are both expected to be OK.
"I went and got a fire extinguisher from here. Went over there, opened the door, and I saw the fire inside and was just hitting it with the fire extinguisher and just spraying all around," Casaceli said.
No arrests have been made. The investigation is ongoing.