Fox News Christmas tree set on fire in Midtown Manhattan; suspect identified

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NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- A large Christmas tree outside Fox's Midtown headquarters was set ablaze early Wednesday by an arsonist who was quickly taken into custody.The 50-foot tree on Sixth Avenue went up in flames just before 12:15 a.m., and heavy flames then spread to smaller decorated trees in the display.Police say the 49-year-old suspect climbed up "the metal superstructure" -- the tree is an artificial sculpture that is shaped to look like a tree -- lit papers he brought with him on fire, and shoved the papers into the tree structure.He then climbed down and watched from the street level as it burned, and he was spotted by building security who pointed the man out to police officers posted in nearby Rockefeller Center.The suspect is identified as 49-year-old Craig Tamanaha, who is homeless, with a last known address in Brooklyn.A lighter was found in his possession.Tamanaha is 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.The motive for the arson was unclear, but police say Tamanaha appears to have acted alone. He may have first attempted to access the Rockefeller Center tree before turning his sights on Fox.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."The holiday display is set up in what News Corporation calls Fox Square outside its headquarters, which houses Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post.The tree is prominently featured on Fox News Channel, which hosted a tree lighting ceremony Sunday night 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. Fox is vowing to rebuild the tree.----------