2 Puppies Killed In Purposefully Lit Harlem Fire: Manhattan DA

HARLEM, NY — A man stands accused of locking seven dogs, including six puppies, inside of a Harlem apartment that he then set on fire, the Manhattan District Attorney said in a Tuesday indictment announcement.

Two of the puppies died, the Manhattan District Attorney added.

Wattie Folk, 53, was charged with one count of arson, seven counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, and seven counts of overdriving, torturing and injuring animals, the District Attorney said.

"We allege that Wattie Folk set fire to this apartment knowing that it would put the lives of these helpless dogs at risk," District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a news release. "The fire endangered the people living in the building, killed two puppies, and severely injured five other dogs."

"People and animals should be safe in their homes, and we will prosecute those who endanger their lives," he added.

A fight led to the blaze getting lit within the Harlem home on June 24, 2022, according to the Manhattan District Attorney.

Folk, a Queens resident, was staying at his friend's apartment in Harlem, when they got into a fight that turned physical, the District Attorney said. The confrontation caused the friend to bolt from his house and call the police, the District Attorney added.

About 1:40 a.m. that night, Folk started a fire inside the bedroom of the apartment, before fleeing the home and leaving a 3-year-old Pitbull and six five-and-a-half month-old puppies inside, the District Attorney said.

Along with the subsequent death of the two puppies, all five of the other dogs needed immediate medical attention, and were found severely dehydrated, coughing, and covered in soot, the District Attorney said.

They were brought to an animal hospital where they were treated for weeks, the District Attorney said.

The friend's apartment and belongings were also destroyed in the fire, the District Attorney added.