A suspect has been arrested in connection with the fire that led to the line-of-duty death of Philadelphia (PA) Fire Lieutenant Sean Williamson, according to various news reports.
Reports and court documents indicate that building owner Al-Alshraf Khalil, 28, has been charged with lying to agents regarding his whereabouts at the time of the June 18 fire, despite the fact that video surveillance indicated otherwise. According to 6 ABC News, Khalil fled the country after being questioned about the fire, which was deemed arson. He was reportedly taken into custody in Jordan and brought back to the United States; another suspect is being sought.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported authorities claimed to have identified Khalil as the person caught on camera entering the pizza parlor shortly before smoke billowed out of the building. After the collapse, Khalil told investigators on scene he had been at home in Northeast Philadelphia when he got a call from one of apartment tenants he leased out above the pizza shop. Using surveillance footage, investigators said they traced Khalil’s getaway car that night and pinpointed him taking that phone call from the tenant just a few blocks east.
Lieutenant Williamson of Ladder 18 was killed in a collapse while operating on scene of a commercial fire at 300 W. Indiana St. A viewing was held for the fallen lieutenant at Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Church in South Philadelphia Sunday evening, with hundreds of firefighters, friends, and loved ones in attendance. Images from the service are below, courtesy the Philadelphia Fire Department.
