Queens Apartment Fire Kills 4, Including 3-Year-Old, Suspect Arrested in Random Attack

A 38-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a deadly apartment fire in Queens, New York, that killed four people, including a 3-year-old girl, in what police say was a completely random act.

Roman Amatitla was taken into custody on April 7 at his home by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. Authorities said he has no prior arrests and no known connection to the victim's family or the building in Flushing where the fire broke out on March 16.

Investigators allege Amatitla entered the apartment building and started the fire using a piece of burning wood and an accelerant. The flames spread quickly, covering the three-story structure, trapping everyone inside, and causing heavy damage.

Although the crime caused severe human loss, the police have not yet determined the motive behind it. The victims include 3-year-old Sihan Yang and 50-year-old Chengri Cui. Two other victims, aged 61 and 63, have not been publicly identified as officials work to notify their families. In total, four people died, and at least five others were injured in the blaze.

Witnesses described panic as the fire tore through the building in the middle of the day. One resident said they watched emergency crews rush victims out.

One resident told The New York Post, “I was praying so hard that everyone got out safe.” The witness also recalled seeing one unconscious victim being wheeled out by paramedics. “When you see a fire that bad, you know you’re looking at death,” the residents added.

Authorities are unsure whether Amatitla stayed at the scene or fled immediately after igniting the fire. Surveillance video shows him stealing a can of beer from a nearby store the same day, though investigators have not confirmed whether it happened before or after the fire.

The police have confirmed that Amatitla is now facing multiple charges, including eight counts of murder, 12 counts of assault, eight counts of arson, and four counts of petit larceny.

Records also show that the building had a long history of safety issues. It had nearly 60 violations over the past 30 years, with 16 still open at the time of the fire. Many of these were related to illegal apartment conversions and overcrowding.

A 2020 inspection found the two-family home had been converted into multiple single-room units with extra beds, raising concerns about safety in case of emergencies.