New Rochelle apartment building fire ruled arson

Officials labeled a New Rochelle apartment building fire as arson Friday.
According to officials, a fire broke out in the third floor hallway of an apartment building on Glencar Avenue in the afternoon. Officials said a plastic bag filled with clothes, pocket books and other items was lit on fire. Fortunately, they said, the flames did not spread into any apartments or other floors.
Dozens of residents fled from the building after noticing something was wrong. "I'm sitting there and I'm like, 'someone must be burning something,'" resident Darryl Newman said. "So when I open the door I see the smoke in the hallway, then I open up the exit door and all the smoke rushed at me in my face."
Officials said they would examine the clothes for flammable liquids, or if a name is written on any of the items. Although residents returned to the building Friday evening, investigators said they would contact witnesses again Monday.