Man arrested for setting off fireworks that burned down home in Brooklyn
NEW YORK - A man has been arrested for allegedly setting off illegal fireworks that burned down a home in the Flatlands neighborhood of Brooklyn.
Damien Bend, 36, has been charged with arson in the fourth degree as a result of his ill-fated pyrotechnical display.
Authorities say that on June 24, firefighters responded to reports of a fire on the first floor of a two-and-a-half story home on East 51st Street.
It took 60 firefighters to bring the fire under control.
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Fireworks are illegal in New York but legal in nearby Pennsylvania, where several fireworks retailers are located near its borders with New Jersey and New York.
An investigation by Fire Marshals revealed video footage of the incident that showed Bend setting off fireworks in the driveway of the home when a burst from one of them entered an open window on the home’s first floor.
Authorities say Bend continued to set off the remaining fireworks before going back into his house to get more.
“Illegal fireworks pose significant dangers to the safety of New Yorkers and their property,” said Commissioner Daniel Nigro. “Our Fire Marshals will continue to actively enforce the laws relating to illegal possession and sales of fireworks in New York City.”
In the last nine days, Fire Marshals have arrested 17 people and confiscated roughly $36,700 worth of illegal fireworks.
Two men were arrested for smuggling over $6,000 worth of illegal fireworks into the city on June 24.
So far this summer, there has been an explosion of illegal fireworks use in the city leading to thousands of complaints. Mayor Bill de Blasio has started a special law enforcement task force to tackle the issue.