As many as 10 small fires were reported in Central Park on Tuesday afternoon in an apparent act of arson, according to two law enforcement sources with knowledge of the case. The fire filled the tall trees of the iconic space with thick, billowing white smoke.
The fires seemed to have started in North Woodsthe largest of the park’s three wooded landscapes and a hotspot for bird watching and other nature activities, shortly before 2:00 p.m. Tuesday.
The FDNY confirmed that it was working to put out “numerous wildfires” in the park near 110th Street. No injuries have been reported.
Meanwhile, police are investigating whether the afternoon fires could be related to a separate fire that apparently started in Central Park earlier in the morning, around 7:00 a.m., police sources said.
Witnesses told police they saw a man set a fire in the afternoon near Central Park Westthe sources said, though no description was immediately made public.
The video posted on the app Citizen App made it look like the smoke could be seen from quite a distance.
No other details were immediately available.
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