A worker at a Bronx deli suffered severe burns when a masked assailant hurled a Molotov cocktail into the storefront Tuesday night. The incident occurred around 10:10 p.m. at a deli on West 183rd Street near Jerome Avenue in the Fordham Heights neighborhood.
The 33-year-old employee sustained burns to his face and body, described by a relative as severe enough for his skin to be "peeling off." The victim was transported to Jacobi Medical Center and is reported to be in serious but stable condition.
Surveillance footage captured the moment the device was thrown into the shop, causing it to erupt in flames. The suspect fled the scene on foot and remained at large late Wednesday, according to authorities. Law enforcement sources indicated the suspect might be an acquaintance of the victim.
A cousin of the injured worker, who identified himself as Mizzy, claimed that a group of young individuals were responsible for the attack. He described the assailants as dressed in a manner that concealed their identities. "That’s some old school s–t to do, but they did that, and that’s what set everything on fire here," Mizzy said.
The cousin recounted witnessing the event, stating, "His skin was peeling off, literally. He was on fire, physically on fire. They had to throw a blanket on him to put him out."
The blaze required a two-alarm response from the Fire Department of New York and took approximately one hour to extinguish. The fire also spread to neighboring businesses, including a bakery, a fashion shop, and a laundromat, causing damage that will necessitate insurance assessments and rebuilding efforts.
Mizzy described his cousin as a well-known and well-loved figure in the community, expressing disbelief at the attack and suggesting his cousin may not have been the intended target.