Imran Ali, 23, and Devindra Ramnaryan, 21, were arrested for setting a fire at 123-11 Liberty Ave., in Richmond Hill on July 23. FDNY fire marshals arrested two men for setting a fire in Queens that resulted in four injuries that included two firefighters and two seniors who lived in the building.
Arrested were Imran Ali (right), 23, and Devindra Ramnaryan (left), 21, of Queens for setting a fire at 123-11 Liberty Ave., in Richmond Hill on July 23.
“Anyone who intentionally sets a fire shows a depraved indifference to human life,” Fire Commissioner Salvatore J. Cassano said. “I commend our fire marshals and our entire Bureau of Fire Investigation for tracking down and apprehending these individuals who put the lives of so many civilians and firefighters in jeopardy.”
The fire was reported at 2:34 a.m. and the first units arrived in just over two minutes. In all, twelve units comprised of sixty firefighters responded to the fire, which took more than thirty minutes to bring under control. The fire building is two stories, with a commercial occupancy on the first floor, and apartments on the second floor.
Ali and Ramnaryan, who were out at a local club that evening, believed that rocks were thrown at them from a nearby rooftop. In an effort to retaliate, they illegally entered the residence, went to the second floor and set a fire. The fire extended into the two, second floor apartments, seriously injuring a male, 75 and a female, 70.
After a thorough investigation, fire marshals arrested Ali on July 27. Ramnaryan left the country shortly after the fire, but was arrested shortly after his return on August 1 following surveillance of the neighborhood. Ali and Ramnaryan face multiple charges including arson, attempted murder, assault, burglary, criminal mischief and reckless endangerment.