Crime & Safety
Elmhurst Fire: Yonkers Contractor Charged With Arson, Police Say
The fire was sparked by an open flame near combustibles.
ELMHURST, QUEENS — A Yonkers contractor was arrested in connection with Tuesday's fire in Elmhurst that burned through 112 apartments and injured 11 firefighters, police said.
Declan McElhatton, 53, of Maintenance Asset Management, was arrested Wednesday afternoon and is to be charged with arson and reckless endangerment for intentionally starting a fire and illegally using a torch, a spokesman for the NYPD said.
Tuesday's five-alarm fire at 56-11 94th St. was sparked by an open flame in close proximity to combustibles, officials said.
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All injured firefighters were released from the hospital.
The fire forced residents of 112 apartments out of their homes, and a school across from the building was used as a shelter to house the evacuees Tuesday night.
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FDNY tweeted a photo of McElhatton and footage from the drone, which they used for the second time Tuesday.
#FDNY new drone took flight for the second time on April 11, at a 5-alarm fire in Queens pic.twitter.com/ddnJKbaXbR
— FDNY (@FDNY) April 13, 2017
#FDNY new drone took flight for the second time on April 11, at a 5-alarm fire in Queens pic.twitter.com/ddnJKbaXbR
— FDNY (@FDNY) April 13, 2017
Lead image courtesy of FDNY
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