Court records: Man accused of breaking into parents' home before deadly fire
Police say five officers were hospitalized for smoke inhalation after attempting to rescue the animals from the burning home.
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A Brooklyn man is accused of breaking into his parents' Central Islip home, setting it on fire and killing two dogs that were trapped inside, according to Suffolk County police and court documents.
Authorities identified the suspect as 39-year-old Alston of Brooklyn.
According to court documents, Alston broke into the home through a kitchen window before allegedly setting the fire. No one else was inside the house at the time, investigators said.
Police say officers responded to a 911 call reporting a fire at a home on East Cherry Street in Central Islip at approximately 12:20 a.m. Saturday. When officers arrived, they tried to enter the home to rescue two dogs inside but were unsuccessful.
The Central Islip Fire Department, along with several neighboring fire departments, extinguished the blaze. Once the fire was brought under control, firefighters found the two dogs dead inside the home.
Investigators said five police officers suffered smoke inhalation while responding to the fire and were taken to the hospital.
Neighbors said the large emergency response woke them from their sleep.
"The ambulances and police cars were going off for a good solid five minutes. I checked outside to see what was going on and there was a fire down the street at the house. It was really unexpected," said Ozil Acosta of Central Islip.
Acosta said he frequently saw the dogs at the home and was shocked by what happened.
"I would see the dogs all the time. They would bark at me too. When I saw the dog get carried out, it was really shocking to me," he said.
Other neighbors expressed disbelief after learning investigators accused the homeowners' son of starting the fire.
"Wow, the son? Wow, that's hard. That's a family member, that's crazy," said Nelson Espinal of Central Islip.
"It's tragic and I feel bad for them," said Denilson Acosta.
Acosta added, "That's messed up and awful at the same time. Your own son would try to rob you and burn down the place. It's not really acceptable."
Residents said the allegations came as a surprise in their generally quiet neighborhood.
"It honestly does surprise me. Everyone here is nice and quiet. Nothing much happens here. Everyone gets along with each other," Acosta said.
Following an investigation by Suffolk County Arson Squad detectives, Alston was charged with arson, burglary and false personation, which authorities described as giving police a false name.
Alston was arraigned Saturday at First District Court in Central Islip, where he pleaded not guilty. His next court date is scheduled for Oct. 8.
