Man Set Fire to Strangers’ Home to 'Get His Anger Out', Then Watched as 4 Died While Drinking Stolen Beer

A man in Queens allegedly set fire to the house of a stranger and watched it burn while sipping stolen beer. The fire killed four people, including a 3-year-old child, and injured seven others, including firefighters and residents who had to jump out of windows.

A prosecutor in Queens said Roman Amatitla, the accused, had no connection to the victims. After setting the fire, Amatitla watched as the blaze killed four people and injured several others, according to the prosecutor. Several residents had to leap out of windows because of the fire.

The incident occurred in New York City, where Amatitla allegedly set fire to an apartment building. After starting the fire, Amatitla stopped at a nearby gas station to get beer and remained in the area as flames consumed the building, according to the prosecutor.

The 38-year-old man has been charged with multiple counts of murder and arson in connection with the fire that occurred on March 16, at a building on Avery Avenue in Flushing, Queens, according to a criminal complaint obtained by People and a press release from the Queens District Attorney’s Office.

According to the press release, Amatitla had no connection with the building or its occupants. The complaint alleges that Amatitla entered the building multiple times before the fire and lingered outside the location. At one point, documents said he urinated outside the building.

Authorities said he deliberately ignited the fire at the base of a stairwell by lighting a piece of paper and placing it on top of the garbage in a first-floor hallway. Surveillance footage captured Amatitla leaving the building and going to a nearby gas station. At the gas station, he took two beers, paid for one along with matches, and returned to the building shortly before smoke and flames began to spread, according to the complaint.

The press release from the Queen's District Attorney’s office said Amatitla remained near the scene and watched as the fire consumed the building, killing four people, including a 3-year-old child and injuring seven others.

“This was an act of mass murder,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Kartz said. “As alleged, Roman Amatitla deliberately set fire in an occupied building and killed four people, including a 3-year-old girl.”

Amatitla admitted that he heard multiple people inside the building when he set the fire, and knew his actions could harm someone. Amatitla did it anyway because “he needed to get his anger out,” according to the complaint.

The fire broke out around 12:30 p.m. with about 230 firefighters working to contain the flames for approximately two hours. Amatitla told authorities he started the fire after being angry about being fired from his job, the complaint said.