NEW YORK — A resident has been arrested and charged with negligent homicide in connection with a devastating fire that claimed three lives in an Inwood apartment building last week, authorities confirmed on Monday. Victor Arias, 29, was taken into custody after investigators linked the May 4 tragedy at 207 Dyckman St.to his reckless disposal of a lit cigarette onto a pile of cardboard boxes.
The resulting inferno ripped through the six-story structure shortly after midnight, killing 24-year-old Lance Garcia, 48-year-old Yolaine Bienvenida Diaz Dominguez, and 72-year-old Ana Dominguez Lantigua, while injuring 14 others. While Arias pleaded not guilty and was released on a medical-related monitor, the incident has turned a harsh spotlight on the building’s owner, JanJan Realty Corp.
City records reveal the property was riddled with over 100 housing code violations, including dozens of “immediately hazardous” conditions, mirroring a lawsuit filed just days before the fire regarding safety negligence at an adjacent building. In the wake of the catastrophe, the FDNY has intensified public safety campaigns, releasing harrowing photos to demonstrate how simply closing a door can prevent fire from consuming a room and potentially save lives.
