In a shocking turn of events, authorities have apprehended a Queens resident accused of igniting a deadly blaze that resulted in four tragic deaths, including that of a 3-year-old girl. The arrest took place on Tuesday, marking a pivotal moment in the investigation of the senseless act of violence.
Roman Amatitla, 38, was taken into custody by the US Marshals Fugitive Task Force at his home in Queens. The incident, which police and sources describe as a seemingly random attack, occurred last month in a Flushing apartment building. Neither Amatitla nor the residents appeared to have any prior connection, adding to the bewildering nature of the crime.
Sources report that Amatitla, who has no previous criminal record, allegedly set the fire on March 16 by igniting a piece of wood and using an accelerant to fuel the flames. This reckless act led to a rapidly spreading inferno that claimed the lives of four individuals and injured five others.
The fire demanded a significant response, with 74 FDNY units battling the blaze for over two hours before it was finally subdued. The devastating impact of the fire has left the community reeling, as they grapple with the loss and destruction it caused.
Further complicating the case, Amatitla was caught on surveillance video stealing a can of beer from a store on the same day. However, it remains unclear whether this incident occurred before or after the fire was ignited, leaving questions about his motives and state of mind.
Amatitla was seen on video stealing a can of beer from a store the same day, but it’s not immediately clear if the footage was captured before or after the fire was set, sources said.
It’s also not clear if he stayed at the scene to watch the deadly flames engulf the building or if he fled elsewhere.
Police have not identified a motive.
The relentless blaze tore through the three-story apartment building in the middle of the day.
One horrified resident told The Post that they were “praying so hard that everyone got out safe,” specifically when they watched paramedics wheel out an unconscious victim with wounds they speculated he “can’t have survived.”
“When you see a fire that bad, you know you’re looking at death,” the resident said.
Two of the victims were identified as 3-year-old Sihan Yang and 50-year-old Chengri Cui. The remaining victims, a 61-year-old and a 63-year-old, have not been publicly identified, pending family notification.
Amatitla was slapped with eight counts of murder, 12 counts of assault, eight counts of arson and four counts of petit larceny, according to the NYPD.
The building, which was hardly standing after suffering “heavy, heavy damage” from the blaze, had racked up nearly five dozen violations over the last three decades.
Sixteen violations were still open when the residence burned down. Many were tied to illegal apartment conversions and overcrowding, according to Department of Buildings records.
One violation from a 2020 inspection found that the two-family dwelling had been illegally converted to make room for five single-resident occupancies and nine extra beds, according to a DOB complaint.
