Container Led to Arson Probe in Worcester MA Firefighter Christopher Roy's LODD

Firefighters and detectives investigating the December blaze that claimed the life of Worcester Firefighter Christopher Roy immediately thought one thing: the fire was intentionally set.

A search warrant affidavit unsealed Tuesday in Worcester Central District Court shows firefighters discovered there was a plastic container in the basement of 5-7 Lowell St. next to a water heater that wasn’t in service.

“The water heater had a fire pattern consistent with a fire originating in the plastic container,” Worcester Detective George Adams wrote in the affidavit to search the three-story dwelling.

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Momoh Kamara, the 21-year-old former resident of the building, was indicted and arraigned in March on charges of second-degree murder and arson of a dwelling in connection with Roy’s death.

Prosecutors said Kamara set several fires inside the basement while residents were still inside the 100-year-old building.

Momoh Kamara, the man charged with murder and arson in Worcester Firefighter Christopher Roy’s death, has bail set at $500K

Momoh Kamara, 22, of West Boylston was previously being held without bail on murder and arson charges in connection with Roy’s death.

The Dec. 9 fire was first reported at 3:58 a.m. Within minutes, police and firefighters were at the scene.

The search warrant details the response by firefighters that morning.

Firefighters began prying up porch skirting and discovered smoke but no flames. They tried to get into the building through a bulkhead but couldn’t access it.

The firefighters were able to get into the building through a rear stairwell at 5 Lowell St. Roy was one of the first firefighters on scene.

There, in the middle of the basement, was the fire, Adams wrote.

Firefighters put out the fire and used a thermal imaging camera to search for other hot spots. Heat signatures were discovered on the 7 Lowell St. side through the common access of the connected basements.

Crews outside were ordered to reposition the trucks. Firefighters then advanced a hose line to the second floor of 7 Lowell St. Fire became difficult to attack.

Firefighters tried to escape the second floor but were pushed back. They tried to reach the rear stairwell of 7 Lowell St. and again were “turned away by worsening fire conditions,” Adams wrote.

A call was made for all firefighters to find a window and escape. Firefighters were able to flee the building through a window.

Roy, a 36-year-old father of a young girl, was missing inside the building. Firefighters tried to reach him by radio to no avail.

Roy, who was low on air, was unable to make it to a window to escape the flames. He was found in a bedroom on the second floor. Over the next hour, firefighters worked to free Roy.

He was rushed to UMass Memorial Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 6:25 a.m. Roy died from smoke inhalation. His death was later ruled a homicide.

Fire investigators determined there were three fires in the building’s basement. The fire started there and spread to the rest of the dwelling, Adams wrote.

The plastic container was located on the 5 Lowell St. side next to the water heater that wasn’t in service. Prosecutors said there were signs gasoline was used to set the blaze.

Tires, clothing and other items were in the basement and helped accelerate the fire, prosecutors said.

Authorities also discovered evidence that someone placed clothing around the water heater to make it appear as if the fire started naturally.

Investigators then began to believe the fire was purposely set. Authorities found scorch marks by the stairs on the 5 Lowell St. side near the basement.

There were also surveillance cameras in an apartment at 5 Lowell St., according to the search warrant affidavit.

Investigators seized clothing, cardboard, insulation, pieces of a cardboard box, a key and a padlock from the dwelling, records show.

Authorities said Kamara took an Uber that dropped him off near Clark University in Worcester’s Main South neighborhood, the morning of the fire.

Detectives tracked Kamara’s movements from there by utilizing surveillance video, which showed him entering Lowell Street around 2:30 a.m., a prosecutor said during Kamara’s arraignment in Worcester Superior Court.

Prosecutors say Momoh Kamara rode Uber to his former apartment building and set fire that would claim life of firefighter Christopher Roy

Kamara was indicted and arraigned in Worcester Superior Court on Friday.

Surveillance cameras showed Kamara left Lowell Street, near Main Street, within four or five minutes of police and fire arriving at the scene. Kamara then walked away and took a Lyft ride out of Worcester, investigators said.

While no motive has been discussed, prosecutors said Kamara used to live at 5-7 Lowell St. but was asked to leave after having a disagreement with roommates. In March 2018, Kamara allegedly vandalized a car outside 5-7 Lowell St. months before the fatal fire.

Kamara remains in custody as the case against him continues in court.

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