A man was found dead after a fire on the second floor of a private home in Richmond Hill early Sunday morning that police suspect was set on purpose.
The FDNY was alerted to the fire at 115-18 95 Ave., one block south of Atlantic Avenue, at 2:35 a.m. on Sunday morning. Firefighters arrived five minutes later and fought the blaze, which was burning in a second-floor apartment of the three-story semi-detached home.
The fire reached a second alarm at 2:50 a.m. and firefighters were able to bring the blaze under control shortly thereafter.
But after extinguishing the flames, investigators disovered Azeem Ali, 43, inside the apartment. Police say they found him bound with electrical cords and shot once in the head. Ali, an immigrant from Guyana, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police say the fire was likely set intentionally and began in the back bedroom where Ali was found. The case is being treated as a homicide.
No one else was injured in the fire.
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