Firefighter Arrested for Arson in Brooklyn
A firefighter has found himself under arrest again—this time for allegedly tossing a Molotov cocktail at a store in Brooklyn, causing a significant fire that injured one of his colleagues. Authorities say that Isidro Aquino, 39, was the culprit.
The incident occurred around 1:45 p.m. on Fort Hamilton Parkway near 53rd Street in Borough Park. Aquino reportedly sparked a major fire inside the building. He reportedly fled the scene, but as the flames spread through the clothing store, smoke began to pour out of a neighboring electric bike factory, according to sources and the FDNY. Initially, firefighters were led to believe they were battling a three-alarm blaze.
FDNY Chief of Staff Michael Myers explained to the media that “there was thick smoke coming out of the doorway.” He clarified that while the fire seemed stout enough to cause concern for occupied spaces nearby, it mainly consumed inventory inside the store. The fire began at the ground level before spreading to the flooring, the building, and then the roof.
Overall, officials reported that 92 fire and emergency responders arrived at the scene, with around 200 individuals rushing to assist. One firefighter sustained minor injuries; thankfully, there were no civilian casualties.
“If we can get through this without any injuries to our firefighters and without any injuries in the occupied space other than minor injuries, we consider that a victory,” Myers added.
After paramedics took Aquino to a local hospital, they found him intoxicated. He was discharged but defiantly returned to the site of the fire later that evening, resulting in his arrest by fire department officials around 11 p.m.
Initially charged with arson, Aquino also faces robbery charges for allegedly entering the building unlawfully with intent to commit a crime. Authorities suspect he entered through a back door and rummaged through some cardboard boxes, but his precise motive for allegedly setting the fire remains unclear.
Interestingly, this isn’t his first run-in with law enforcement. Aquino has been arrested multiple times, including a previous incident in 2017 where he was accused of assaulting a man and stealing his jacket in Sunset Park. His past record includes offenses related to trespassing and drug possession dating back to 2011.
The proceeding for his latest case has been postponed until Monday evening.
