FDNY Fire Marshals Partner With
FDNY Insider 2/20/09
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Chief Robert Byrnes explains how the FDNY fire marshals and NYPD worked together to catch a serial arsonist on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Behind him are Supervising Fire Marshal Sal Rignola (second from left), Fire Marshal Brian Kane (far left) and Fire Marshal John Watkins (third from left), as well as members of the NYPD. |
FDNY fire marshals and police officers from the NYPD worked together to catch a serial arsonist on the Upper West Side of Manhattan on Feb. 19.
“This is the result of very good police work,” said Chief Fire Marshal Robert Byrnes.
Christopher Buxo, 54, is charged with several felonies, including arson in the second and third degree, criminal mischief and criminal possession of a weapon.
Supervising Fire Marshal Sal Rignola and Fire Marshals Brian Kane and John Watkins connected him to a fire on Feb. 2 in a brownstone on W. 69th Street, which was reported at 4:52 a.m.
They also tied him to four vehicle fires in the area, including one on Central Park West at W. 91st Street on Feb. 4, another on W. 87th Street at Broadway on Feb. 11, one on W. 83rd Street at Central Park West on Feb. 12 and one on Central Park West at W. 105th Street on Feb. 18. All of these fires occurred around 4 a.m.
In each of the vehicle fires, Mr. Buxo allegedly poured gasoline through the passenger window and lit it. At the scene of the fires he would sometimes leave pieces of an American flag and a rambling note.
After fire marshals enlisted the help of police officers at the 24th Precinct, police task force members saw a man at around 3 a.m. on Feb. 19, carrying a flag and looking into vehicles on Central Park West. They arrested him for possession of a handgun.
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