Nine residents, including a child, and two firefighters were injured in the apartment building fire in Brooklyn.
The blaze broke out overnight around 3 a.m. Tuesday on Evergreen Avenue in the Bushwick section.
Fire crews made multiple rescues and pulled residents out of windows to guide them down smoke-filled hallways.
A source with the FDNY said the man they believe intentionally set the fire held the door closed to prevent people from getting out.
Authorities believe he ran away after allegedly setting the fire.
"You couldn't see anything in front of you, but when we tried to open he wouldn't let us open, thankfully my dad yanked it open and we pushed him out he way and we came out," said resident Lilia Soriano.
Some residents said the person has caused problems for them in the past and believed it was only a matter of time until something like this happened.
"Not only have I filed a complaint against the the management, even the other tenants have filed a complaint," said resident Juan Garcia.
Dozens of families were forced to evacuate the building and are currently homeless. They were allowed to go inside and retrieve some of their belongings by later Tuesday afternoon.
A man who escaped the fire suffered a seizure on the sidewalk and was taken to a nearby hospital.
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