Law enforcement officials say a teen fighting with her mother intentionally set a blaze that injured a half-dozen firefighters and left two dozen residents of a Fordham Heights building homeless.
Fire marshals questioned resident Princess Martinez, 19, who reportedly confessed to setting the blaze after having a heated argument with her mother. The teen allegedly set fire to a mattress before exiting the apartment. The mother escaped unharmed.
Martinez was later charged with arson and remains held on $100,000 bail.
Firefighters were called to the six-story building at 2254 Cedar Ave., at West Fordham Road, at just before 9 a.m., on Saturday, April 6, when the fire broke out on the fifth floor. It quickly spread to the top floor and roof.
One woman, visibly shaken, said, “[Firefighters] said that someone set the fire and we lost everything.”
The fire victim added that many years ago another intentional blaze was set inside the same apartment.
It took 150 firefighters more than an hour and a half to stop the blaze, which damaged three apartments and forced dozens of residents, including Metropolitan Opera singer Andrey Nemzer, to evacuate.
Six firefighters suffered minor injuries and were treated for minor burns and smoke inhalation.
Fire marshals would later question Princess Martinez, 19, who reportedly confessed to setting the blaze after having a heated argument with her mother. The teen allegedly set fire to a mattress before exiting the apartment. The mother escaped unharmed.
Martinez was later charged with arson and remains held on $100,000 bail.