Oct. 24--TAGHKANIC, NY-- A fire that destroyed a Taghkanic Road home Monday that was spray-painted with racial slurs earlier this year is the second one at the site and the third to involve property owned by a Queens man, authorities said.
It's the third time -- twice in Taghkanic and once in Livingston -- since 2015 that a residence owned by Fred Iorfida in Columbia County has been been set on fire by an unknown person, town and fire officials confirmed Tuesday.
State Police are investigating the Monday fire, but have not labeled it suspicious. Trooper A.J. Hicks, a spokesman for Troop K, said no details about the investigation were available Tuesday.
Columbia County 911 dispatched Taghkanic Fire Department to 410 Taghkanic Road about 12:30 p.m. Monday for a report of a house fire. Taghkanic Fire Chief Bill Hilscher said firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire.
Hilscher said there was an earlier fire about two to two-and-a-half years ago at the property owned by Iorfida.
On Oct. 3, 2016, a fire broke out at 228 Schneider Road in Livingston. Livingston Fire Chief Paul Jahns IV confirmed that incident. Iorfida also owned that property.
The State Police, Taghkanic Fire Department, Columbia County Cause and Origin Team, and the state Office of Fire Prevention and Control on investigating the Monday fire. Authorities are asking anyone with information related to the fire to call them at 845-677-7300.
On June 12, 2017, a contractor working on the 410 Taghkanic Road home discovered racial slurs spray-painted on the building. The property is located in the hamlet of Elizaville.
Investigators believe the vandalism occurred between 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 10, and the morning of Monday, June 12.
Iorfida could not be contacted for comment.
That incident, which police labeled a hate crime, was never solved. The community is stunned by the fire and the racial slurs, according to Taghkanic Supervisor Ryan Skoda.
"I've been in contact with the investigators. A lot of residents are very concerned that someone who might live in our community would have so much hate and anger," Skoda said.
Taghkanic is a town where residents know each other and are friendly, Skoda said. The town has 1,130 residents. It's located along the Taconic State Parkway, which is a major travel route for New York City metropolitan residents headed to the county and the Berkshires for the weekend.
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