Utica, NY — Three residents escaped a potentially deadly early-morning fire after Utica police officers spotted flames outside a multi-unit home, extinguished part of the blaze, and evacuated tenants before firefighters arrived. Investigators later identified a suspect through surveillance footage and arrested a 63-year-old Utica man on a felony arson charge.
The fire was reported at approximately 3 a.m. Sunday on Watson Place, prompting a response from both the Utica Police Department and Utica Fire Department.
When officers arrived, they found the exterior of the residence actively burning. Police immediately deployed fire extinguishers to knock down visible flames while simultaneously helping residents evacuate from multiple apartments inside the building.
Officers Act Quickly to Evacuate Residents
According to the Utica Police Department, officers successfully evacuated three tenants from separate apartments before firefighters arrived on scene.
Utica Fire Department crews reached the residence moments later and assumed responsibility for fire suppression efforts.
The quick response helped prevent what could have become a much larger tragedy in an occupied residential building during overnight hours when many residents were sleeping.
Investigators soon began working to determine how the fire started.
Key Points
• Three tenants were evacuated after an early-morning fire at a Watson Place residence in Utica.
• Surveillance footage allegedly captured a suspect intentionally setting the fire.
• Jose Perez, 63, was arrested and charged with second-degree arson involving an occupied dwelling.
Surveillance Video Leads Investigators to Suspect
During the investigation, officers obtained surveillance footage that allegedly showed a man intentionally setting the residence on fire.
Police said responding officers immediately recognized the individual in the video because of prior familiarity with him.
Investigators also learned the suspect was involved in a relationship with a tenant who lived in a second-floor apartment inside the building.
Based on those findings, detectives from the Utica Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division were called in to take over the case.
The surveillance footage and witness information quickly shifted the investigation from a fire response to a criminal arson investigation.
Arrest Made Hours After Fire
Later Sunday, officers located the suspect on Stark Street.
Police identified the man as Jose Perez, 63, of Utica.
Perez was taken into custody and transported to the Utica Police Department for questioning as investigators continued reviewing evidence gathered from the scene.
Following the investigation, detectives formally charged Perez with second-degree arson involving an occupied dwelling, a serious felony offense under New York law.
Occupied Building Raised Stakes of Investigation
Authorities have not released additional details regarding a possible motive or whether anyone suffered injuries during the incident.
However, investigators emphasized that the structure was occupied at the time the fire was allegedly set, making the case significantly more serious because of the potential risk to human life.
The incident also highlighted the actions of responding officers, who not only began extinguishing the fire before firefighters arrived but also evacuated residents from the building as conditions developed.
The Utica Fire Department and Utica Police Department continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fire.
Perez has been charged with second-degree arson, and the case will proceed through the court system as prosecutors review the evidence gathered during the investigation.
