Oceanside man arrested and charged with torching his home

Police have arrested Cirino Patane, 36, of Oceanside, for allegedly setting his Woods Avenue home on fire on Feb. 8. According to police, Patane ignited the fire in the living room of the second floor of the house just after 6 p.m., then fled the scene. He was arrested by police shortly after, at the corner of Woods Avenue and Court Street, and charged with arson and criminal mischief.

"It looks like he was troubled with his personal life and possibly redirected those feelings toward the inside of his house," said Kevin Power, commanding officer of Nassau County's arson bomb squad. Power said the incident appeared to be isolated, and that the squad had closed its investigation into the matter following Patane's arrest.

According to police, the blaze caused extensive damage to the inside of Patane's home, scorching the walls, floor, furniture, and other electronics. They estimated that the total cost of the damage exceeds $15,000.

A spokesman for the Oceanside Fire Department said eight trucks responded to the fire and requested additional aid from the Rockville Center and East Rockaway departments. The blaze was brought under control within half an hour, and there were no injuries.

Patane was arraigned at First District Court in Hempstead on Feb. 9. According to the district attorney's office, he was charged with third degree arson and second degree criminal mischief. His bail was set at $100,000 bond or $50,000 cash.