STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A second man has been charged in connection with a fire that severely damaged a popular restaurant and bar on Bay Street in St. George, the Advance has learned.
Jose Martinez, 52, who is homeless, was arrested in connection with the fire that began at around 5:19 a.m. on Feb. 11 at the Cargo Cafe at 120 Bay St., according to the NYPD and the criminal complaint.
Based partly on a review of surveillance video, authorities allege that Martinez, Annan and a third suspect set fire to the exterior of the Cargo Cafe, resulting in fire, char, structural, smoke and water damage, according to the complaint.
The culprits also “created substantial risk of serious physical injury to responding Fire Department personnel,” the complaint states.
Martinez was arrested last Thursday and has been charged with arson, criminal mischief and reckless endangerment.
The complaint against Martinez alleges he “acted together and in concert with two apprehended others,” but the name of the third person accused in the case was not immediately clear.
The 5′7″, 168-pound Martinez is being held at the Manhattan Detention Complex in lieu of bond set at $15,000 and is due back in Criminal Court on Wednesday, according to public records.
An attorney for the suspect declined to comment.
Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro announced last Thursday that fire marshals arrested Annan for the fire that resulted in an estimated $300,000 worth of property damage.
Annan is alleged to have ignited the blaze following a dispute at the eatery after restaurant staff had him removed, according to the FDNY statement.
“This arrest sends a clear message: Anyone who uses fire as a weapon will be brought to justice,” Nigro said. “This individual put the lives of New Yorkers and responding firefighters in jeopardy and our fire marshals’ investigation demonstrates the aggressive, dedicated work of the FDNY Bureau of Fire Investigation.”
Firefighters were summoned to the eatery and arrived in four minutes, according to the FDNY.
The blaze, which was brought under control without injury shortly before 6 a.m., likely started in a dumpster at the rear and then spread to the roof of the building, a spokesman for the FDNY said in February.
“The quick response allowed firefighters to bring the incident under control without injuries to civilians or FDNY members,” Nigro said. “Fire marshals responded and began an extensive investigation, including the use of Bucca, one of the FDNY Bureau of Fire Investigation’s accelerant-detection canines.”
An attorney for Martinez did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The artsy Cargo Cafe was re-opened for only one weekend after renovations before it burned. Owner Edward Gomez and artist Scott LoBaido surveyed the damage back in February.
A favorite watering hole for borough residents and visitors on the Staten Island Ferry, the cafe is known for its eye-catching art work by LoBaido and innovative food and beverages curated by Gomez.
The renovation was chronicled in the Advance.
On the day of the blaze, fire investigation personnel and a K-9 focused on a badly-charred area in the back of the building while patrons and area residents milled about the outside of the eatery. An official with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) could also be seen at the location.
