Landlord upset over unpaid rent accused of setting apartment on fire while tenants were inside

A Brooklyn landlord was arrested on Friday, a month after he was accused of setting a building on fire with residents inside over unpaid rent, said the Fire Department of New York.

Rafiqul Islam was arrested on Nov. 3 for setting an interior staircase on fire at an apartment in South Brooklyn after getting angry at his second-floor tenants for not paying the rent and refusing to move out, said the FDNY in a news release.

"Two adults and six children were home at the time of the fire and escaped," said the FDNY. "Interviews with the fire victims revealed Mr. Islam had been threatening to cut off their gas and electric, and ultimately threatened to burn the house down if he wasn’t paid his rent."

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Investigation

Authorities said that video footage from the day captured a "masked and hooded man" enter and leave the building shortly before the first 911 call.

"Marshals spent four weeks conducting an extensive video canvas to verify the suspect’s identity before finally finding (an) image of Islam with his hood and mask down," said the FDNY.

Islam has been charged with eight counts of attempted murder, assault and arson, said the FDNY, adding that he will be prosecuted by the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office.

Apartment occupants received minor injuries and were treated at a local hospital in Jamaica, according to the FDNY.

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Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.