Man Who Set Somerville Main Street Fire, Stole Construction Vehicle Sentenced

SOMERVILLE, NJ — A Somerville man was sentenced in connection with a four-alarm fire that ripped through multiple buildings and businesses on Main Street, injured four firefighters and a police officer, and displaced 18 people in June 2024.

Amr A. Khodeer, age 25, of Somerville, was sentenced to six years in New Jersey State Prison on Dec. 12, 2025, on charges of second-degree aggravated arson and second-degree theft of a motor vehicle, announced the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office on Wednesday.

On June 4, 2024, at around 2:03 p.m., a 911 call reported a fire on West Main Street in Somerville.

As a result of the investigation, it was determined that Khodeer was seen leaving the basement of the building where the fire started, as smoke was seen coming out of the building behind him.

The three-story building housed restaurants King Tut and Mike's Courtside Kitchen and apartments above on the corner of W Main Street and South Bridge Street.

Additionally, two adjacent buildings, which housed Yoga Odyssey and Sushi Yokohama, were also impacted. Those businesses did suffer from smoke and water damage.

A short time later, a construction vehicle was taken from Union Street in Somerville and seen leaving speeding away recklessly before hitting two motor vehicles and a building in the area of the Promenade Boulevard in Bridgewater before becoming disabled, according to authorities.

Khodeer fled the vehicle and was caught by Bridgewater Police Officers. Khodeer was found to have fresh burns to his extremities, according to authorities.

The fire was a four-alarm fire that caused severe damage to the building as well as neighboring residential/commercial structures, resulting in more than 18 residents being displaced.

"Thanks to the quick response from the first responders, all the occupants of the buildings were safely evacuated and were uninjured," according to authorities.

One Somerville Police officer had minor injuries, was taken to an area hospital, and was later released. Four firefighters also had minor injuries. Two were treated at the scene and cleared, while the other two were treated at the hospital and later released.

Fire companies from Finderne, Bound Brook, Hillsborough Station 37, Hillsborough Station 36, Martinsville, Franklin Fire District 27, Franklin Fire District 56, Country Hills Fire Department, Green Knoll, Manville, Warren Township, Raritan Borough, Lyons VA, North Branch, and Liberty Corner came out during the fire to help the Somerville Fire Department in extinguishing the fire.

Emergency medical personnel from Somerville, Martinsville, and Green Knoll also came to the scene to render aid, along with officers from the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office who helped Somerville Police with traffic control of the affected area.

Personnel from the Somerset County Office of Emergency Management, including the Somerset County Fire Coordinator, responded to assist with unified command consisting of fire and police personnel.

Previous Reporting:

• 18 Residents Displaced, 4 Firefighters & 1 Cop Injured In Somerville Fire
• Somerville Fire Update: Main Street Reopens, Community Rallies Together
• Man Crashes Stolen Construction Vehicle, Injures 2 In Bridgewater: Police

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