New York City house owner sets building on fire after tenant family stops paying rent

Rafiqul Islam allegedly resorted to the horrific act after the family stopped paying rent and refused to vacate his building.

A landlord in New York City, has been accused of setting fire to his building, housing a family with six children, according to a report by huffpost.com. The incident which happened in September, has come fore now after investigations about the cause of fire.

Rafiqul Islam has been accused of setting fire to his building, housing a family with six children (X(formerly Twitter)/@FDNY)

The report says Rafiqul Islam was arrested on October 25 for jeopardising the lives of the family of eight who were tenants at his own Brooklyn building on the second floor. Rafiqul allegedly resorted to the horrific act after the family stopped paying rent and refused to vacate the building.

Meanwhile, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office has filed criminal charges including eight counts of attempted murder, assault and arson against Rafiqul.

Citing the New York City Fire Department, the report highlights that Rafiqul had threatened to cut off gas and electric service to the family. He had also threatened to burn the house down if the family didn't pay the due rent.

During the four-week investigation, investigators found video proof of Rafiqul dressed in a mask and hood, entering and leaving the building sometime before the first 911 call. Reportedly, investigators found an image in which the mask and hood were down. As per fire officials, the fire was lit on an interior staircase of the building.

According to an earlier report by CBS New York in September, the parents of the family had to throw their children out from the building at the time of the fire incident, in order to save their lives. The kids were caught by helpful people.

As per reports, a day after the fire incident, Rafiqul filed a lawsuit against an occupant on the second floor of his building, claiming that she owed him $26,592. A month later, the tenant filed a counterclaim and alleged that she and her family were “driven from the subject premises by a fire.”