"Things didn't add up from the get-go": Fire chief, neighbor of man who started fire to his Brooklyn Center home speak out
BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. -- A Twin Cities fire chief feels justice has been served after a man who claimed vandals started a fire at his home is charged for igniting it himself.
The fire happened at a home off Morgan Avenue in Brooklyn Center in September 2020. Then-homeowner Denis Molla told investigators he was targeted because he had a Trump flag on display.
After flames erupted in his driveway and graffiti was sprayed across his garage nearly two years ago, Molla spoke to WCCO with worry in his voice.
"The first thing for me was my kids, my wife, what's going on?" he said. "This kind of stuff should not happen."
Several vehicles on his driveway were destroyed. The garage door was sprayed painted with an Antifa or anarchy symbol, "Biden 2020" and "BLM."
Molla claims he was targeted. Investigators agree that the fire was intentionally set, just not by who Molla says did it.
"Things didn't add up right from the get-go," said Chief Todd Berg of the Brooklyn Center Fire Department.
Speaking to WCCO over the phone, he was not happy to learn that Molla is who federal investigators say intentionally started the fire and did the vandalism. Sixteen firefighters responded to the initial call.
"You're putting all my staff at risk as well as other people," said Chief Berg.
Neighbor Lisa Stamaira, who lives next door, remembers struggling to sleep that night.
"I didn't want our house to catch on fire," Stamaira said.
Her family was also upset with Molla after investigators said he raised money through GoFundMe, collecting more than $17,000 in donations.
Court documents also show Molla submitted $300,000 worth of insurance claims for the damage on his property and received $61,000.
"I couldn't believe that he, that he lied to the police," said Stamaira.
Molla no longer lives at that Brooklyn Center home. He's charged with two counts of wire fraud.
