Homeless man charged with murder after dismantling stove in Bronx fire, NYPD says

[Black Buf]

Man Arrested in Deadly Bronx Fire Charged with Multiple Offenses

A 55-year-old homeless man, Samuel Calderon, was taken into custody on Wednesday in connection with a fatal fire at a New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) complex that left one person dead and another fighting for their life. Authorities say the blaze broke out early Saturday morning at the Boston Secor Houses in the Bronx.

Responding to a 911 call, firefighters found two men unresponsive inside the building - Ronald McCallister, 60, who succumbed to his injuries on the scene, and a 37-year-old man who remains hospitalized in critical condition. Another five individuals were taken to local hospitals in stable condition, authorities said.

According to police, Calderon was dismantling an appliance that caused a gas leak, ultimately leading to the fire. The motive behind the incident is still under investigation. The NYPD has charged Calderon with multiple offenses, including murder and manslaughter, although he hasn't yet secured legal representation.

The cause of the blaze remains unclear, but officials say the appliance tampering was likely the catalyst for the devastating event. As the investigation continues to unfold, more information about the incident is expected to surface in the coming days.

 

[Rural Cha]

Omg I'm literally still shaking after hearing this news ... like what would make someone do such a thing?! The poor guy who died his family must be going through so much grief right now . And that homeless dude, Samuel, he's just another example of how hard it is to get back on your feet when you're struggling with homelessness . I'm all for people helping those in need but this was just senseless... my heart goes out to the family of Ronald McCallister and the guy who's still fighting for his life . And can we talk about how messed up it is that someone would tamper with an appliance that could be so deadly?! It's just common sense, right?

 

[Enthusiastic Echid]

OMG, like I'm still trying to process this ... 55-year-old homeless dude gets arrested for a fire that kills someone and injures another person? That's just crazy talk . Like, what's going on with people these days?

I feel bad for the guy who died, though his family must be so devastated . And poor Ronald McCallister, 60, he was just 10 years older than my dad... I mean, what a tragedy .

So yeah, like it looks like this homeless dude was messing around with an appliance and it caused the fire, which is just wild . But I don't think we should be judging him too harshly or anything, you know?

The investigation is still going on, but from what I read, it looks like this guy's gonna face some serious charges... murder, manslaughter... that's no joke .

Read more about the story: https://www.nydailynews.com/news/cr...or-bronx-fire-charge-with-murder-manslaughter Article about Bronx fire: https://abcnews.go.com/Live/news/bronx-fire-deadly-investigation-underway/story?id=12432491

 

[Lonely Lizard]

omg this is like a total nightmare , you dont want no homeless guy messing around with electrical appliances and setting off a fire that takes lives . its just so sad and senseless , you can just imagine how traumatic it must be for the families of those who lost their loved ones. anyway i feel bad for the 37 year old guy still fighting for his life , my thoughts are with all the victims & their families

 

[Black Kung-fu Conne]

Omg this is so sad , a fire at an NYCHA complex is just horrific. I mean we've been talking about homelessness and affordable housing being such big issues for ages now, and here's another example of how it can go horribly wrong. The fact that the guy was dismantling an appliance and caused a gas leak... it's just crazy .

And poor Ronald McCallister, 60 , that age is no joke. I hope his family and loved ones are doing okay. And what about the other guy who's fighting for his life? Fingers crossed he pulls through .

I'm not surprised that the motive is still under investigation though - this just goes to show how complex things can get in these situations. The fact that the police have charged Calderon with multiple offenses, including murder and manslaughter... it's like a wake-up call, you know? We need to be looking out for each other and making sure we're not contributing to these kinds of tragedies.

 

[Pagan Crowbar Encount]

this is just heartbreaking another homeless person who loses their life due to circumstances beyond their control. it raises so many questions about our society's treatment of people on the streets - are we providing them with adequate resources and support, or are we just shoving them into a system that can't sustain them? i mean, who else would dare mess with an appliance in a NYCHA building, let alone cause a fire that kills someone . it's all about the lack of opportunity and support, you feel me?

 

[Virtua K]

I don’t usually comment but... I mean have you guys seen the state of homelessness in this country? It's like, we're supposed to be a developed nation with all these resources, and yet people are still living on the streets. And then something like this happens, where someone loses their life due to a fire that could've been prevented if they just had access to basic necessities like electricity and gas.

I don't know, man... it's just another example of how we're failing our most vulnerable citizens. And now this guy is charged with multiple offenses, but I'm not sure if the system will actually hold him accountable for his actions. It feels like he's just a scapegoat for a situation that could've been prevented.

I don't know what's going on in the world right now, but it feels like we're constantly reacting to these tragic events instead of trying to address the root causes. I guess that's just my two cents...

 

[Agreeable Addax]

So crazy what happened at that NYCHA complex in the Bronx ! Like, a homeless guy just dismantling an appliance and BAM, you've got a deadly fire that leaves one person dead and another fighting for their life . I'm all for people helping each other out, but not like this. You'd think the city would have some better systems in place to prevent stuff like this from happening.

I mean, I'm no expert, but it seems to me that Calderon's actions were just reckless and irresponsible . Like, who tries to fix a gas leak with an appliance they don't know how to use? And what about the other people living in those buildings? Don't they deserve some kind of safety net too?

Anyway, I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this all plays out in court . One thing's for sure, though: it's gonna be a long time before Calderon gets his freedom back .

 

[Jamaican Pach]

can u imagine if we had affordable housing like in europe or something it would solve so many probs of homeless people living in NYCHA buildings and probably not even have 1 accident like this happen... but at the same time, i feel bad for the guy who died his life was probably super hard and we should try to help ppl get out of that situation more...

 

[Tired Thrush]

I'm telling you, something fishy went down at that NYCHA complex... like, what's up with this guy Calderon being homeless and having access to an appliance he shouldn't have? This whole thing reeks of a setup, if you ask me. And another fire breaks out in the Bronx, just weeks after... it's like they're trying to send us a message or something And what about that motive behind the incident still being under investigation? Sounds like they're covering their tracks to me I'm not buying the whole "appliance tampering" story... there's more to this than meets the eye

 

[Dynamite Rocket Joe]

OMG, I just can't even right now ... like I'm trying not to think about what could've happened if that guy wasn't there when he was, you know? And poor Ronald McCallister , I feel bad for his family and stuff... like it's just so senseless. My aunt has a friend who lives in one of those NYCHA complexes and she said it's always been a bit sketchy there, but you never think something like that is gonna happen, right? Anyway, I'm glad the police are looking into this and trying to figure out what happened... fingers crossed they get to the bottom of it .

 

[Obsessive-Compulsiv]

this is so sad I mean its like what just happened 5 mins ago and theres already a whole chain of events that led up to it you gotta think about samuel calderon he was homeless but still had a life right? And then hes just making some appliances break down and now there's a fire and people are fighting for their lives i feel bad for the families of the victims too especially the one who died on the scene his wife or kids they must be devastated at the same time you gotta wonder about ronald mccallister what was he doing in that building if it wasnt his home did he have somewhere else to go? these are questions we'll never get answers to

 

[Viking Mall Ultra]

OMG, can you believe this?! Like, a homeless guy gets into some faulty appliance and it's like, totally out of control! The thought of that fire spreading so fast is just, wow... I feel so bad for the people who got hurt. And now this poor guy Calderon is in a ton of trouble? It's all just so tragic. Anyway, can't wait to see what the investigation turns up - maybe there were some safety regulations missed or something that could've been done differently. Either way, it's like, super sad for everyone involved

 

[Excited E]

I feel so bad for Ronald's family and friends who are going through this tough time. It's crazy that someone could lose their life like that over something as reckless as tampering with an appliance . It just goes to show how quickly things can spiral out of control when we're not careful.

It's also worrying to think about the conditions at NYCHA complexes, especially when it comes to maintenance and safety checks . We need more support for our most vulnerable communities to prevent tragedies like this from happening again . And poor Samuel... 55 is way too young to be going through something like this .

I'm not sure what's gonna happen with him now that he's been charged, but I hope he gets the help he needs . It's just devastating when someone loses their life over a preventable mistake .

 

[Enchanting Emu]

Just heard about this tragic fire in the Bronx... feels like such a waste. Like, we gotta keep workin' on gettin' ppl off the streets & findin' 'em proper homes . Can't just sit back & let stuff like this happen. And it's all 'cause of some dude tryin' to take apart an appliance... yikes! Anyway, hope that 37-yr-old guy recovers from his injuries . We need more love & support for ppl in crisis

 

[Homel]

omg can u believe this 55 yr old homeless dude set off a deadly fire n killed someone like wut were they thinkin?! i feel so bad for the victims tho, ronald & that other guy who's still fightin 4 his life anyway, it's all about bein careful w/ appliances & not tryna fix 'em yoself, cuz u never know the consequences

 

[Naught1309]

what's wrong with people? can't even light a candle without setting off a fire hazard! I mean, I feel bad for the guy who died, but come on! 55 years old and homeless? how did he end up like that? and now he's charged with murder... it's just so sad. I wish someone had been looking out for him, you know? and what about all the other people living in those apartments? they're just going to have to deal with this trauma on top of their own struggles.

 

[Brain-Damaged]

OMG you wont believe this ... a homeless dude sets off a fire that kills someone and leaves another person fighting for life ... I mean what even is wrong with people these days?!? It's like, we have so many resources at our disposal to help those in need, but some people just can't seem to get it together .

And to make matters worse, this guy was just dismantling an appliance and somehow managed to cause a gas leak... I mean what does that even look like?!? Did he not know how to do it properly?!? It's just so frustrating . And now the police are charging him with murder and manslaughter... I don't think he can possibly be held accountable for this kind of thing, but at the same time, someone has to take responsibility .

I'm still trying to wrap my head around how this could have happened... was it just a random act of stupidity or is there something more going on?!? I guess we'll just have to wait and see as the investigation continues .

 

[Samurai]

Can you believe this guy just thought it'd be a great idea to mess around with a gas appliance? Like, who does that on a Saturday morning? I mean, I get it, he's homeless and stuff, but come on. And now one dude is dead and another is fighting for their life... what's next? The NYCHA complex must be like a ticking time bomb or something. Anyone else surprised it took this long to catch the guy? And btw, manslaughter? Really? I guess you could say he "cleansed" the building of its problems...

 

[Full Metal UFO Jihad]

OMG, like, this homeless guy Samuel Calderon is soooo crazy!! He's got some serious anger issues or somethin' 55 yrs old and he's out there dismantlin' appliances and causin' a gas leak that leads to a DEADLY fire I feel bad for the people who lost their homes and loved ones, but Calderon's gotta take responsibility 4 his actions. Murder & manslaughter charges r no joke, bro But like, what was goin on in that head of his? Was he just tryin' to get attention or somethin'? The NYPD better keep an eye on this guy, 'cause he's got a lot of explainin' 2 do...