BROOKLYN, N.Y. (WPIX) – A New York landlord accused of setting a building on fire with his tenants inside has been arrested a month after the alleged incident, authorities said Sunday.
Rafiqul Islam is accused of setting fire to the stairs inside the Brooklyn home on Sept. 26, according to the Fire Department of the City of New York. Islam was angry that his second-floor tenants stopped paying rent and refused to move out, FDNY officials said.
Islam allegedly set the fire with two adults and six children inside the home, officials said.
All eight people were able to escape the fire, according to the FDNY.
Before the fire, Islam allegedly threatened to cut off his tenant’s gas and electricity. He also threatened to set the home on fire if the rent continued to go unpaid, officials said.
Officials said a video showed a man wearing a mask and a hood enter and leave the home before the call to 911. Investigators also discovered a video verifying that Islam was the masked man, officials said.
“Marshals spent four weeks conducting an extensive video canvas to verify the suspect’s identity before finally finding image of Islam with his hood and mask down,” the FDNY said.
Islam was arrested on Oct. 26 and charged with several offenses, including eight counts of attempted murder, assault and arson.
