Nassau Man Barricaded Himself In His Home And Set It On Fire: PD

EAST ROCKAWAY, NY — An East Rockaway man was arrested and charged with arson Monday after police said he locked himself in his house and set it on fire.

Kevin Meyer, 31, of Elbert Place, set fire to his home at 11:49 a.m. Monday, police said. When officers arrived, they tried to get into the house to rescue Meyer, but all of the doors were barricaded. Responding firefighters were able to get inside the residence, which by then was fully engulfed in flames.

Police said they found Meyer and tried to get him out, but he resisted and struggled with firefighters, kicking and punching them. The firefighters were then able to get Meyer out of the home, police said. He was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation and evaluated for a cognitive disorder.

Multiple fire departments responded to extinguish the blaze, which also damaged a neighboring home occupied by a family of five. None of them were injured.

Meyer was charged with second- and third-degree arson, first-degree reckless endangerment, two counts of second-degree criminal mischief, two counts of second-degree obstructing governmental administration, and two counts of obstructing firefighter operations. He will be arraigned when medically practical.