New York State Police have confirmed the identities of the six people who died in the Knights Inn fire and provided updates on the arson investigation.
At a press conference on June 25, New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation Captain Lucas Anthony confirmed the six victims who died in the June 23 Endwell blaze. Michelle Woolfolk, 58, was staying on the second floor and was found dead in the rubble. A family of five, including 27-year-old Dominique Cruz, 29-year-old Joshuea Molyneaux, and their three children, 3-year-old Ella, Romyn and 10-month-old Zachariah, were all on the second floor.
Initially, 911 calls from the inn were placed at 5:59 a.m., according to Anthony. First responders got to the scene quickly, but the roof had collapsed “within minutes” of their arrival.
The fire continued to burn throughout the morning. The inn, located on 2603 E Main St., sustained severe damage that could be seen from the exterior of the building. The flames were contained by 9:45 a.m., but smoke was still visible from outside.
New York State Police announced late on June 22 that Tyler J. Russell, 24, of Endwell, was taken into custody and charged with six counts of second-degree manslaughter and one count of fourth-degree arson. Russell had been staying at the Knights Inn.
Troopers and Broome County District Attorney Paul Battisti provided additional information on the investigation.
Few details revealed following arrest
Russell was processed at SP Endwell and then turned over to the Broome County jail for arraignment on June 22. Anthony said there are currently no other suspects.
When the blaze was contained, fire investigators conducted a “room-by-room search” to find victims, a task he called an “unenviable, but necessary measure.” They also looked to determine the cause and origin of the fire, according to Anthony. Investigators found the origin to be on the first floor of the building and, according to Battisti, they were able to locate a lighter they believe was used to start the fire.
Through a combination of interviews and video surveillance from the motel, police were able to identify Russell as a suspect. Russell had gone to a local hospital for injuries “not related to the fire,” including abrasions on his hands from falling in the motel parking lot. Battisti said he was taken into custody based on this initial evidence.
Russell was staying at the motel when the fire was started, but officials did not confirm whether he was one of the 56 people placed in the motel by the Broome County Department of Social Services.
While Russell is currently facing six felony charges including manslaughter and arson, Battisti said these charges could be elevated depending on what is discovered throughout the course of the investigation. The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact state police at 607-561-7400.
Reactions to the tragedy, calls for reform
The Broome County community, local activists and organizers have been mourning the six lives lost, rallying and calling for housing reform outside of the Broome County Office Building since 4 p.m. on June 23.
Battisti said when tragedies like this happen, “people become angry” and it’s “easy to point fingers” and “cast blame.”
“I’m calling upon all the incredible residents of Broome County to stay positive — support first responders, support victims, support survivors, do something positive,” he said. “That’s how we’re going to make the best out of this horrific situation.”
In May, the county earmarked up to $200,000 to eliminate the use of motel shelters for unhoused people. A Request for Proposal involves a two-year contract with a firm that would partner with the county on solutions in the short term (like exclusive landlord agreements) and long term (like building a tiny home village).
At the press conference, Broome County Executive Jason Garnar said the county is working with community partners and is currently focused on helping displaced individuals find emergency housing. The process to move away from motel housing, he said, has been “moving as fast as possible.”
While some have claimed the fire detectors in the Knights Inn were not functioning at the time of the blaze, Garnar asserted that they were working and that inspections of the inn are conducted by Endwell officials.
When asked about the motel housing, Garnar said much of the DSS housing provided to the unhoused population is full and many had “no other place to go besides being homeless.”
“This is a state requirement that we follow, and we are required to follow all state regulations, policies and procedures,” Garnar said. “We can’t make up our own policies and procedures.”
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: New details in Knights Inn fire that killed 6 people, including 10-month-old
Reporting by Jillian McCarthy, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin / Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jillian McCarthy, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin | USA TODAY Network
