Fox News Christmas tree to be rebuilt, relit after fire in Midtown; suspect released

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NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- The Christmas tree at Fox News headquarters was gone Thursday morning.While there's a gaping hole, the tree is expected to be fixed, brought back, and relit by the evening.The Christmas Tree was set on fire Wednesday.This holiday tradition has only been around at this site for three years.The 50-foot Christmas tree sat at the intersection of West 48th Street and 6th Avenue.It had only been up three days before it was set on fire just after midnight on Wednesday.The suspect, 49-year-old Craig Tamanaha was arrested on the scene.Police say he climbed up the metal structure and stuffed newspapers in open spaces and then set them on fire with a lighter.He has been charged with criminal mischief, reckless endangerment, arson, criminal nuisance, endangering others, criminal trespass, criminal tampering and disorderly conduct.He has three prior arrests, two for drug possession and one for public intoxication.Investigators say Tamahana may have tried to set the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, a few blocks away, on fire first.Tamahana was arraigned on supervised released, which means he is supposed report to a person who will report back to the court as early as Thursday.Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said detectives are looking into whether mental illness or drugs were a factor."The motive I don't think is clear at this point," he said. "It's an individual that is known to us. He has a series of low level arrests and drug arrest. He was issued earlier this year some appearance tickets and didn't come back to court, which unfortunately is something we see all too often. Also has some low level arrests out of state."Onlookers were in disbelief."My sister called me from Colorado, said someone burned the tree. And now I came, and it really happened," a spectator said."I'm looking at the trees that are burnt. My husband is a big Fox News fan. I told them if we're in the area we'll get our picture taken in front of the tree. And there's no tree," a tourist said.The Christmas tree is expected to be relit around 5 p.m. and Cardinal Dolan is expected to attend.The company says the 50-foot high tree has 10,000 glass ornaments and 100,000 lights. It takes more than 21 hours to assemble.The damage was estimated to be $500,000.----------