Niagara Falls: Arrest made in Days Inn fire

The Niagara County Sheriff’s Office reported the following Saturday evening:

At 5:31 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, the Niagara County Dispatch Center received a 911 call reporting a structure fire at The Days Inn hotel, located at 2821 Niagara Falls Blvd.

Niagara County Sheriff's Office deputies responded, finding several rooms fully engulfed in flames. They immediately began going from room to room evacuating those still inside of their hotel rooms. Members from St. Johnsburg, Adams, Shawnee, Bergholz, Frontier, Sanborn volunteer fire departments and the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station responded and subsequently extinguished the fire.

The room where the fire began was unoccupied at the time of the fire. Two minor injuries were reported and treated at the scene.

The cause of the fire was under investigation by the Niagara County Fire Investigation Unit when an arrest was announced. Richard M. Pesono, 63, of Buffalo, was arrested on charges of arson in the second degree, criminal mischief in the second degree, and reckless endangerment in the 1^st degree.

Pesono was remanded to the Niagara County Jail.

He is innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.