Overview
- Roman Amatitla was arraigned Thursday and ordered jailed without bail on murder and arson charges in the March 16 fire that killed four people, including a 3-year-old girl.
- Prosecutors say surveillance shows he entered and left the building several times, stole a beer at a gas station, obtained matches, then lit paper on trash in a first-floor stairwell and stayed nearby watching the blaze.
- The medical examiner ruled the deaths homicides, and authorities identified the victims as Sihan Yang, Chengri Cui, Chie Shin Ming, and Hong Zhao, with one victim dying after jumping from a window to escape.
- The FDNY sent 74 units and 231 responders, and two firefighters were hurt when a staircase collapsed during rescues as several residents were injured while jumping to flee the flames.
- City records show the building had been carved into many illegal units with long-standing Department of Buildings violations and unpaid fines, and fire marshals and city agencies continue to investigate potential cause and liability.