Police: Fire at 80 Winthrop Avenue 'Suspicious'

At 4:15am on September 11, several terrified residents of the apartment complex at 80 Winthrop Avenue called 911 to report black smoke filling up in their apartments, according to Fire Commissioner Raymond Kiernan.

No one was hurt in the blaze, which fire officials suspect was set on purpose after discovering that cardboard had been lit inside the elevator shaft, rendering the elevator useless as means of escape.

"There is no logical reason why cardboard should go on fire in an elevator," said Kiernan. "The fire pumped up a lot of black smoke throughout the building, the smoke poured out of the doors on every floor, all the way up to the sixth floor."

By the time firefighters reached the scene, people were already evacuating, said Kiernan.

"We checked every apartment to make sure people were OK. We set up as many fans as the fire department owns to ventilate the building," he said.

Heavy damage to the elevator car was reported. As of September 13, the elevator was still out of service.

Jody Fuller, a resident who has lived in the adjacent apartment complex for 17 years said he was offended, but not surprised that someone might set a fire in the buidling.

"It had to be deliberately set," said Fuller, "It's not a surprise. You've got people coming and going that don't actually live here. [Whoever did this] is taking people's lives for granted. There are invalids living here, and what about people that live on the fifth floor? If the elevator is on fire, they can't get downstairs at a moment's notice."

Kiernan said that people were allowed back in the building around 5am, and that police have taken over the case and will pursue an investigation.

"They have people who had seen various things, so they will get a hold of people and see if they have any luck with it," he said.

Fuller said he was skeptical that the fire would be pursued by police.

"It needs to be investigated. Let's face it, this is a black, non-affluent neighborhood. Police won't do anything," said Fuller, "I can guarantee that if there was a fire in the north end they are going to get priority over what happens here."

New Rochelle Police Captain Joseph Schaller said that detectives are currently investigating. "We investigate all crimes with the same dilligence," he said.