Suspected Sex Romps In Cars Caused Blaze At BK Mall Garage: Feds

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – A man started the massive seven-alarm fire in a Kings Plaza mall garage Monday because he wanted to destroy luxury cars in which he believed people were having sex, court records show.

Evon Stephens, 23, confessed Monday that he ignited a blaze that injured 21 people and took more than 200 firefighters to extinguish in an effort to damage a row of Mercedes Benzes, court records show.

"I'm sorry," the East Flatbush man told reporters. "I apologize."

Stephens told investigators he purposefully set fire to the lot, where nearby dealerships kept their cars, because other people were having sex in them, according to the criminal complaint.

Security cameras captured Stephens near the closed parking garage at 5100 Kings Plaza Monday morning, minutes before the fire erupted, federal prosecutors said. A security guard also spotted Stephens near the lot.

Police arrested Stephens at about 3:30 p.m. after he admitted to having marijuana and began quizzing officers about the fire, said prosecutors.

"What do you think will happen, how long will the mall be closed and do you know who did it," he reportedly asked.

The fire began at about 8:30 a.m. as several cars quickly caught fire on multiple floors of the garage, officials said.

Eighteen firefighters and three civilians were injured in the blaze that sent plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky and took hours to subdue, the FDNY said.

None of the injuries were deemed life-threatening, officials said.

More than 135 cars owned by various car dealerships were damaged in the fire, according to prosecutors.

Stephens is expected to be arraigned on arson charges in Brooklyn Federal Court Tuesday afternoon, prosecutors said.

Photos courtesy of the NYPD and FDNY