A construction worker is facing arson charges after authorities said he doused his former boss’s Queens restaurant and an employee inside with gasoline in an attempt to torch the place.
Andrew Chung was charged with attempted arson and felony reckless endangerment after the alleged attempt to burn down the Islander Seafood restaurant in Elmhurst on Wednesday morning, according to the FDNY.
FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said Chung, 41, had been quarreling with his employer over wages and was gotten in an argument with the restaurant’s manager, 45-year-old Tim Cheng, that morning about the timeline getting paid for an odd job he had done in the restaurant.
"He said he wanted to get paid now," said Cheng. "He said he would kill me."
He left during the dispute and returned a moment later carrying a gas canister and splashed it on the floor and an employee and said he wanted to light the place on fire.
But before he could ignite the gas, Nigro said that other employees held him back. He was able to escape, however, and ran from the restaurant before police and firefighters got on scene.
“If the gasoline had been lit, many lives would have been in peril because of this dangerous act,” said Nigro.
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Chung was arrested later Thursday by FDNY fire marshals. Attorney information for the man wasn’t immediately available, but his family members said they were shocked by the arrest because he is “very charming.”
Cheng, meanwhile, added that he doesn't want his former employee to go to jail.
"He worked here for three years, I treat him like my son,"
The owner of the restaurant couldn’t be reached for comment Friday night.
