NYPD: Landlord-Tenant Dispute Suspected In Canarsie Fire That Seriously Injured 2
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Officials are investigating a case of alleged arson in Brooklyn that left a young woman with severe burns and smoke injuries. They say an angry tenant may have started the fire.
The NYPD said 27-year-old Melbourne Green was arrested. They believe he was involved in a ongoing dispute with the landlord, and purposely set the house ablaze, CBS2's Thalia Perez reported.
A door completely burned to a shell, along with piles of debris, were visible on the second-floor landing after fire ripped through the two-story unit in Canarsie. Kyhna Davis said she lives on the first floor and her apartment was completely destroyed. She told CBS2 the suspect lived in the second-floor apartment and was her mom's tenant.
"He was the problem. He's had issues with my mom for a while," David said. "So just imagine, two years with him wrecking the apartment he lives in, wrecking other people's units, the elderly lady, and just being a nuisance."
Firefighters said the fire broke out just after 11 p.m. on Thursday at 1503 E. 98th St. A neighbor said she knew the suspect gave the landlord a hard time, but never imagined he would take it this far.
"It's heartless. You have no consideration for the other people that live there," the neighbor said.
Police said two victims were rushed to the hospital, including a 22-year-old woman who neighbors said lived with the suspect. Daphne, a home health aide, said her patient, who is blind, was treated and released from Brookdale Hospital on Friday afternoon.
"He was sleeping last night when the fire come," Daphne said.
Green was charged with second-degree arson, and police said their investigation is ongoing.
CBS2's Thalia Perez contributed to this report.
