Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 20-year-old Corey Green of Buffalo has been arraigned before Erie County Court Judge Michael Pietruszka on an indictment charging him with four counts of Arson in the First Degree. 

It is alleged that on April 22, 2017, at about 3:26 a.m., the defendant deliberately set a fire in the back entranceway of an apartment building at 97 Ingham Avenue in Lackawanna, putting four families, including a dozen children in harm’s way. 

The flames trapped the Soliman family in their rear upper apartment, forcing the parents and their young children to be rescued from a second story window. 

Two of the children were seriously injured in the fire. Four-year-old Zainab suffered from smoke inhalation and a partially collapsed lung.  Three-year-old Zaid had third-degree burns and was sent to Strong Memorial where he received skin grafts.  

Their parents were also seriously injured.  The mother, Claudia, had to be put into a medically induced coma and was sent to the ECMC burn unit.  The father, Khaled, had a broken/crushed foot and a fractured spine.   

Khaled jumped out of the window with Zainab in his arms.  However, Lackawanna firefighters had to rescue Claudia and Zaid. Their six-month-old was thrown out the window and safely caught. 

Green pleaded not guilty and was remanded to jail without bail. 

If convicted, he faces a maximum of 25 years to life in prison. 

DA Flynn commends the extraordinary rescue efforts of the Lackawanna firefighters and the outstanding investigative work of Captain Joseph Leo and Captain Aaron Brennan of the Lackawanna Police Department. 

Chief Paul J. Glascott of the DA’s Felony Trials Bureau is prosecuting the case. 

As are all persons accused of a crime, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.