MIAMI – A Miami Beach hotel worker has been arrested and charged with first-degree arson after authorities responded to a fire on the seventh floor of a beachfront hotel, police said.
Firefighters and police arrived at the RIU Florida Beach Hotel on the 3100 block of Collins Avenue on Tuesday following reports of an active fire.
The blaze was extinguished and no injuries were reported, but the fire caused damage to flooring, walls, and several rooms while prompting the evacuation of the entire hotel, officials said.
Investigators determined that Orlando Castillo-Chiong, 34, was assigned to work on the seventh floor at the time of the fire.
Surveillance video allegedly showed Castillo-Chiong handling and igniting bedsheets twice before walking toward the area that sustained the most damage, according to police.
The hotel manager and Castillo-Chiong’s supervisor identified him on the video and told investigators his actions were unauthorized, noting he was not permitted to work with fire.
Police said Castillo-Chiong was taken in for questioning but invoked his rights to an attorney.
His clothing, which reportedly showed evidence of the arson, was collected as evidence before he was processed and transported to jail.
