Indictment in Pacific Street fires

raulism

There are finally some developments in catching the arsonists on Pacific Street:

Phil DePaolo wrote: On February 24th 2006 a three alarm fire started in a hallway at 1033 Pacific Street and spread through the entire building. Heavy flames tore through the four story building and out the roof. Four people were pronounced dead at the scene. Some of them had jumped from the window to escape the flames. The dead were a mother, a father, and two of their children. Sherrie Williams, 24, tried to jump from her fourth floor apartment but landed in a stairwell leading to the building's basement and died at the scene. Kassoum Fofana, 41, climbed out a window and briefly hung from the edge, Bleeding and unable to hold on, he fell, landing on Ms. Williams, saving his life by landing on her. The rest of his family could not get out. His wife, Assita Coulibaly, 36, was found dead in a third floor hallway. Their daughter, Miriam, 3, was found dead nearby, while their son, Mohammed, 1, was found dead in the apartment's back bedroom.Six others were injured in the flames, two critically. Then 30 minutes later, another fire started at 1162 Pacific Street, where residents fortunately escaped. Within three months, from December 7, 2005, to February 24, 2006, there were eleven fires along the Pacific Street Corridor, Prospect Heights addresses that had also had suspicious fires included: 1033 Pacific, 1084 Pacific, 1162 Pacific, 1198 Pacific, 1440 Pacific and Other fires, at 530 and 600 St. Marks Avenue along with two more fires that occurred at 461 and 658 Park Place, with another at nearby 683 Dean Street. The fires raised issues about arson in the footprint of the proposed Bruce Ratner development. Fire, Police and Elected blamed the fire on Drug dealers to deflect the questions that were being raised about Arson for profit and development. Now almost two and a half years later it now seems the tragic fire at 1162 Pacific was based on fraud. I had always believed that the fire at 1033 Pacific St. was a distraction fire. Basically a fire is started at a building close to the actual target building to draw firefighters and delay response to the actual target building. In this case the deadly fire at 1033 Pacific was started by pouring a flammable liquid in the stars. 30 minutes later two block away another fire started at 1162 Pacific when a flammable liquid was also poured on the stairs. Yesterday Brooklyn DA Joe Hynes announced the indictment of Carlyle Ebanks, 53, and Mavis Samuel, 40, on charges including grand larceny and insurance fraud. I will never forget the morning of February 24 2006. The fire at 1033 Pacific St. is a scar in my memory. I will never forget the death's associated with this fire and I pray that the guilty will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

I just spoke with Sherri Williams' mother, and she didn't know about this, so the news about this has not yet gotten out.

armchair_warrior

if its true Carlyle Ebanks and Mavis Samuel should be hanged or burn.

emily

God, how could anyone forget this? It's only too bad that the indictment isn't for something more serious than property crimes.

sweet tea

the times said they're investigating the fraudsters for arson, but that arson is really hard to prove, etc., etc.

raulism

This is hard to prove, but I don't think impossible. I'm very glad to to hear that the DA is still studying the case, but if people kept asking the police for updates, they are more likely to continue to purse it.