The New York Daily News says that two hard-partying Guyanese men have been hit with attempted murder charges after being accused of setting a fire in a Queens, New York building that nearly killed two elderly residents.
Imran Ali, 23 and Devindra Ramnaryan, 21, left a club on Liberty Avenue in South Ozone Park about 2:30 a.m. on July 23, officials said and the trouble then started.
“As they were leaving, they became enraged because they thought someone was throwing rocks at them from a nearby rooftop, law enforcement sources told the Daily News.
“After forcing their way inside the building where they thought the attack had originated, they lit a fire in a second-floor hallway – then took off.
Investigators believe they were drunk at the time”, the report said.
“They were in a club all night,” one law enforcement source said. “I am going to guess they had a few in them.”
Firefighters arrived at the 2-story building near 123rd St. within two minutes of a 911 call. The report said that they were able to rescue a 70-year-old man and a 75-year-old woman who were trapped inside their apartment.
The report said both were hospitalized for smoke inhalation, the officials said. The Daily News said it took 60 firefighters more than 30 minutes to bring the blaze under control.
Ali was arrested by Fire Marshals on July 27, officials said. When he was taken to the Queens Criminal Court prior to his arraignment, he quipped to investigators: “This is the first time I have ever been here when I wasn’t drunk!” a law enforcement source told the Daily News.
Ramnaryan was held on Monday after he returned to the city from a vacation in Mexico, sources said.
Both men made statements to investigators that incriminated themselves in the blaze, the Daily News said.
The two were arraigned on charges of attempted murder, arson, assault and reckless endangerment, officials said.
