WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — A Bronx man, who started a fire in an apartment building in Yonkers on October 2, 2009, leading to the death of one city fireman and serious injuries to two others, was sentenced Tuesday in Westchester County Court to 20 years to life in prison.
Rafael Roldan, 34, previously pled guilty to murder in the second degree and two counts of assault in the first degree, all felonies.
Firefighter Patrick Joyce died from injuries when he had to jump from a third floor window to escape the flames.
The other two firemen, Lt. Joseph Murray and Firefighter William Kanych, also jumped and were seriously injured.
The fire, at 149 Waverly Street, was called in minutes after 1 a.m.
Two fires were located, one in a front room and another in the rear of the house on the same floor. The first fire was extinguished, but the second one quickly blew up to the top floor in a stairwell.
Once on the top floor, the fire burned through a door and entered a room where the three firefighters were located.
Republished with permission from Mid Hudson News.