Cigarette ignites Inwood fire, resulting in the death of a fashion editor; tenant arrested for triple homicide.

A resident of an Inwood apartment building, where a devastating fire claimed the lives of three individuals, has been apprehended on charges of criminally negligent homicide. Authorities reported that Victor Arias, 29, was arrested following an investigation into the May 4 incident at the building located on Dyckman Street near Broadway.

Arias, who is also a tenant of the building, is accused of flicking a lit cigarette onto combustible materials, which ignited the catastrophic blaze. This incident resulted in the deaths of 48-year-old Yolaine Diaz, a former fashion editor for People en Español, and her 73-year-old mother, Ana Mirtha Lantigua. Tragically, both collapsed in the smoke-filled stairwell as they attempted to escape the flames. A third victim, a male resident from the fourth floor, has yet to be identified.

The fire incident caused significant injuries, with medics treating 14 individuals, five of whom were hospitalized in critical condition. Among those critically injured were the family members of tenant Alexis Rodriguez, including his wife and three children—ages ranging from 5 to 18—who required intubation for a significant period during their hospitalization.

The landlord of the building, Jack Bick, owner of JanJan Realty, has drawn attention for his management practices. His properties have been highlighted on the city’s list of the 100 worst landlords, with the building in question having accrued 117 open violations, including issues with self-closing doors and nonworking smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Bick and his company have faced legal action from the City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development for neglecting to address these violations.

As the investigation into the fire continues, the implications for tenant safety in similar residential buildings come to the forefront. City records indicate a troubling pattern of negligence among certain landlords, raising concerns for the welfare of residents in New York City’s metropolitan housing landscape.

Victor Arias is scheduled for arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court, where he faces serious charges related to the deadly fire that has left a community grieving. As the case unfolds, calls for stricter oversight of building safety regulations continue to grow, underscoring the urgent need for reform in the management of rental properties.