By Bill Mason
Newsday
Copyright 2007 Newsday, Inc.
A teenager was arrested yesterday and charged with setting a Christmas tree ablaze, igniting a fire at a Blue Point home, Suffolk police said.
Michael C. Eisenberg, 17, of 16 Kuebler St., Blue Point, was charged with second-degree arson, police said late last night.
Eisenberg was being held for arraignment today in First District Court in Central Islip. The circumstances of his arrest were not available.
A Namkee Road homeowner said he was sleeping in the living room near a window early Saturday because his wife was caring for their sick child upstairs when he heard a pop about 2:20 a.m.
The homeowner, who declined to identify himself, realized the tree was on fire on the front porch.
He ran to the staircase, yelled upstairs to his wife to get their two kids, and went out the back door. Once there, the homeowner put water in a garbage can to douse the blaze.
The siding of the home melted in the fire, police said.
Down the block, a second Christmas tree was set ablaze on the front lawn of another house, police said.
Dan Malossi said he noticed a charred tree near the steps to his house when he went out to get the newspaper Saturday morning.
Eisenberg was not charged yesterday with that fire. Police said that investigation is continuing.
Police said the arsons seem to be related because of the time frame.
No motive was given yesterday by police for the fires.
Suffolk police offered a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for the house fire.