‘Scary situation.’ New Jersey man charged in Brooklyn fire sparked by ‘illegal blow torch work’

News 12 previously reported a fire Monday that injured a firefighter and displaced residents in Hawthorne Street in Prospect Lefferts Gardens.

Julia Burns

Sep 13, 2025, 11:07 PM

Updated 1 hr ago

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The FDNY says they’ve arrested Alonza Odom of New Jersey in connection to a fire Monday in Prospect Lefferts Gardens.
News 12 previously reported a fire Monday that injured a firefighter and displaced residents in Hawthorne Street in Prospect Lefferts Gardens.
Firefighters say two fire hydrants were blocked by parked vehicles. The FDNY says Odom was doing illegal blow torch work on the roof and was parked blocking the nearest fire hydrant.
It is still not clear what kind of work he was doing.
A vacate order has now been issued for several apartments.
News 12 spoke with residents like Raoul Muzac who says it’s a “scary situation.”
“He endangered not only the apartments but the entire building,” said Muzac.
The FDNY says Odom was issued multiple criminal summonses for blocking the hydrant, not having permits for the blow torch and illegally using it.
They say he was charged with reckless endangerment of property and was given a desk appearance ticket.