Two homes suffered extensive damage after a 33-year-old man allegedly gave a child fireworks and told them to ignite it, authorities said Friday.
Karamjit Singh allegedly handed an 11-year-old child a firework outside his home in Levittown on the morning of July 4. After instructing the child to ignite it, the firework malfunctioned and ignited a detached shed, bursting it into flames.
The fire then spread to Singh’s and a neighbor’s home, causing extensive damage before the Wantagh Fire Department extinguished the fires. No injuries were reported.
Singh was arrested and charged with arson, reckless endangerment, child endangerment and various fireworks-related offenses. The 11-year-old was released to a family member.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, fireworks cause more than 31,000 reported fires every year.