Firebug arrested for setting fire to discarded Christmas trees in New York

Police said a man, apparently a homeless man, set fire to a pile of discarded Christmas trees on a Manhattan street early Tuesday morning, with the flames spreading to a nearby canteen shed and damaging several cars.

Daniel Ventre, 39, was arrested shortly after he allegedly set fire to four trees left for trash on West 15th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues around 5:50 am, authorities said.

Photos show the outdoor dining area completely engulfed in flames. According to law enforcement officers, three cars also suffered from the fire.

Ventre was pictured after his arrest wearing a Jets winter hat and a green coat over a black Led Zeppelin shirt.

Police said he was charged with arson, four counts of criminal disorderly conduct and one count of reckless endangerment.

Ventre’s personal address, provided to police on Ninth Avenue near West 28th Street, points to the location of the Church of the Holy Apostles, which operates a canteen for the homeless.