FDNY Responds to Arson Fire in New York City

A man from New York City has been charged with murder after reportedly starting a fire in a Queens apartment, leading to the deaths of four people, including a 3-year-old girl, and injuring seven others, according to officials.

Roman Ammatitla, aged 38 and hailing from Maspeth, was arrested on Wednesday and faced multiple charges, including eight counts of second-degree murder and first-degree arson related to the fire that occurred on March 16 at a three-story building in Flushing.

If found guilty, he could face a prison sentence ranging from 25 years to life.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz characterized the incident as an “act of mass murder,” noting that Ammatitla’s lack of motive was chilling.

Katz mentioned, “Shockingly, the defendant had no connection to the building or any of its occupants and chose the building at random.”

Prosecutors revealed that Ammatitla entered and exited the building several times that morning. At one point, he urinated outside the apartment.

They allege he later visited a nearby gas station, bought a beer, stole another one, and took a box of matches after refusing to pay for a lighter.

After entering the building for the fourth time, he is believed to have ignited a piece of paper and tossed it into a trash can by the stairs. As smoke began to fill the area, he reportedly stood by and watched the building burn.

During a court hearing, Queens Assistant District Attorney Gabriel Reale stated that Ammatitla was drinking beer while he “watched people jump out of different windows, some alive and some dead.”

The victims—Yang Sihan (3 years), Chenli Kui (49), and Chie Xinmin (61)—were found inside the building, having died from smoke inhalation. The fourth victim, Hong Zhao, 64, leaped from a window to escape the flames but later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.

Several individuals were injured, including a lieutenant and a firefighter from the New York City Fire Department, who suffered burns and smoke inhalation while trying to rescue people.

Four other residents jumped to safety, and another was helped out of a second-floor window by firefighters.

Prosecutors suggested that Ammatitla needed an outlet for his anger, though the specific motive remains unclear.

Records indicate he is of Mexican descent, although his immigration status has not been verified.

The Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not provide immediate comments regarding the situation.

Ammatitla has been ordered to remain in custody and is set to return to court on April 13.