Dozens Evacuated After Downtown Binghamton Arson Fire

An arson fire forced about 45 people out of a downtown Binghamton hotel into the pre-dawn cold.

The blaze at Dixie 2000 at 106 Henry Street was reported around 6:15 a.m. Monday.

Omar Afify, an owner of the property, said someone broke into a first-floor office and set a fire.

Afify said the blaze activated a sprinkler system, which extinguished the fire and confined the damage to the office.

Afify said there are 52 rooms in the five-story building across from the main post office. He said most of the rooms were occupied at the time of the fire. Those who were evacuated were able to return to the building shortly after the firefighters arrived.

Affify had not determined whether anything had been taken from the office before the blaze was set. He said there was a strong odor of some type of accelerant when he arrived at the building after he was notified of the fire.

Binghamton police detective Captain John Ryan said no injuries were reported. He said police investigators are working with the fire marshal's office in an effort to determine who set the blaze.

Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com

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