WHEATFIELD, N.Y. — An arrest was made after several fire departments responded to a fire early Saturday morning at the Days Inn & Suites Niagara Falls/Buffalo.
Richard M. Pesono, 63, from Buffalo, faces charges that include second-degree arson, second-degree criminal mischief, and first-degree reckless endangerment.
He was being held at the Niagara County Jail, according to the Niagara County Sheriff's Office, which announced the arrest Saturday evening.
Multiple rooms were fully engulfed in flames when deputies arrived, according to the Niagara County Sheriff's Office. Two minor injuries were reported; however, both were treated at the scene.
The call came around 5:30 a.m. for the Days Inn location at 2821 Niagara Falls Boulevard in Niagara Falls. Upon arrival, deputies began evacuating anyone still in their rooms at the hotel.
St. Johnsburg, Adams, Shawnee, Bergholz, Frontier, and Sanborn Volunteer Fire Departments, as well as members for the Niagara Falls Air Reserve station responded and put out the fire.
According to the sheriff's office, the room where the fire started was unoccupied when the fire happened. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.