QUEENS, N.Y. — Two residents suffered serious injuries after a woman allegedly set a fire that destroyed a Maspeth restaurant and apartments above it before targeting multiple nearby properties in a rapid سلسلة of attacks, prosecutors said.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Shaniqua Fort, 36, of Chicago, was arraigned on a wide range of charges tied to a series of fires and acts of vandalism along Flushing and Grand avenues on the night of April 13.

Fire at Restaurant Triggers Dangerous Escape

According to the charges, Fort approached 888 Chinese Restaurant at 60-92 Flushing Avenue around 9 p.m., removed a trash bag from outside, placed it in an alcove near the entrance, and set it on fire before walking away.

The blaze quickly spread, engulfing the restaurant and the apartments above.

One man trapped inside a second-floor unit broke a window with his arm to escape, suffering lacerations, bleeding, and significant pain. Another resident jumped from a window to avoid the flames, sustaining two broken heels, a finger fracture, burns to her hands and legs, and soot inhalation that required hospital treatment and surgery.

Multiple Locations Targeted Minutes Apart

Prosecutors say the fire was just the beginning of a broader series of incidents unfolding within minutes.

Fort allegedly went next to D’Angelo’s Funeral Home on Grand Avenue, where she set an American flag on fire and removed another before leaving.

Shortly afterward, she is accused of throwing a brick through the window of an Allstate insurance office at 65-02 Grand Avenue.

The alleged spree continued at the Maspeth Jewish Center, where Fort reportedly shattered a window with an object before igniting additional fires along the side of the building, intensifying the flames by adding items from her belongings.

Arrest and Charges

Police from the NYPD’s 104th Precinct apprehended Fort shortly after the incidents.

She now faces multiple charges, including second-degree arson, third-degree arson, assault, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, petit larceny, and weapons possession.

Queens Criminal Court Judge Indira Khan ordered Fort held without bail and scheduled her next court appearance for May 13. If convicted on the top charge, she faces up to 25 years in prison.

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Key Points
• Woman charged after alleged arson spree across multiple Maspeth locations
• Fire at Chinese restaurant injures two residents, destroys building units
• Additional incidents include fires, vandalism, and damage to nearby properties

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Prosecutors Cite Risk to Community

“As alleged, the defendant went on a deliberate fire-setting spree, endangering not only local businesses but countless residents in a quiet residential neighborhood,” District Attorney Katz said in a statement, crediting FDNY firefighters and NYPD officers for their rapid response and arrest.

The sequence of events, all occurring within a tight geographic area and short timeframe, underscores the potential for widespread harm when fires are set in mixed-use residential blocks.

What Comes Next

The case is being prosecuted by the Queens District Attorney’s Office Felony Trials Bureau III and remains ongoing as evidence is reviewed and court proceedings move forward.

Fort remains in custody pending her next court date, and authorities have not indicated whether additional charges could be filed as the investigation continues.

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