Nassau police arrested a Hempstead man accused of setting fire to his second-floor apartment Wednesday night.

Firefighters received a call around 9:50 p.m. to the apartment complex on Sealey Avenue. No one was trapped inside the building though an 81-year-old woman and 4-day-old newborn were taken to the hospital. Both were treated for smoke inhalation.

According to police, twelve of the 66 apartments in the complex were damaged in the fire. Some residents say they were fearful for their lives.

?For a second - I didn't think I was going to make it, when I was stuck in the stairwell,? says Dennis Hoerter.

The building manager, who never had a problem with the accused before, spent the day cleaning up and assessing the damage in the affected apartments.

The reason Ivan KopyItsiv allegedly started the fire is still unknown, but Nassau police say it was not an accident.