BREAKING UPDATE: Up to 10 small fires break out in Central Park in apparent act of arson, two law enforcement sources tell MarcSantia4NY , as heavy smoke billows over Manhattan
Up to 10 small fires broke out in Central Park Tuesday afternoon in an apparent act of arson, say two law enforcement sources with knowledge of the case, enshrouding the iconic space's tall trees in a thick, billowy white smoke.
The fires, at least six but as many as 10, appeared to have started in the North Woods, the largest of the park's three woodland landscapes and a hotspot for birdwatching and other nature activities, shortly before 2 p.m.No injuries have been reported. Police, meanwhile, are looking into whether the afternoon fires could be linked to a separate fire apparently set in Central Park earlier in the morning, around 7 a.m., the law enforcement sources said.
Witnesses told police they saw a man setting a fire in the afternoon near Central Park West, the sources said, though no description was immediately made public.Download our local news and weather app for