The 38-year-old man accused of setting the fire in Queens that claimed the lives of four people, including a 3-year-old girl, is due in court for the arraignment on his indictment.
The 38-year-old man accused of setting the Queens fire that claimed the lives of four people, including a 3-year-old girl, returns to court for the arraignment on his indictment.
Amatitla, 38, was charged with arson and murder during his arraignment on April 9. Authorities say he had no known connection to the building or any of its occupants and selected it at random. He told investigators he started the fire "as a way to get his rage out over being fired," according to the criminal complaint.
Prosecutors say he also told detectives that "he had been in a fight at work and that he knew lighting the fire was going to cause harm to someone, but he did it because he needed to get his anger out.
" They say he recently lost his job working in the food industry. Amatitla was captured on surveillance going in and out of the fire building three times, urinating in front of the location at one point. He then walked across the street to BP gas station, bought a beer and matches, and stole a second beer, officials say.
Authorities say when he returned to the building, he lit a piece of paper on fire at the bottom of the first floor stairwell, placed the flaming paper on the top of garbage and watched the fire ignite inside the first floor hallway. Hong Zhao, 64, jumped from different windows to escape, suffering multiple broken bones and brain trauma and dying from blunt force trauma to the head and torso.
Three other residents -- 3-year-old Sihan Yang, 61-year-old Chie Shin Ming and 49-year-old Chengri Cui -- were discovered unconscious and unresponsive inside the building and were pronounced dead of smoke inhalation at the scene. Another person suffered serious burns to his hands and body, bodily trauma and a traumatic brain injury from jumping out another window. Two firefighters were also treated after the staircase in the building collapsed, sending them into the basement.
They were treated for smoke inhalation and thermal burns. Katz said Amatitla set the fire "and just let it burn, and he intentionally let it burn and four people were killed.
""Our client has been charged, but a charge is not a conviction," said defense attorney Vivian Cedeno. "We intend to vigorously represent him and I would ask that we let the legal system play out because right now he is presumed innocent. "Amatitlais a Mexican national. ICE says he entered the country "at an unknown date and unknown time" and requested authorities in Queens not release him.
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