PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Two Philadelphia men have been convicted in the 2022 Fairhill pizza shop fire that killed a city firefighter.
Al-Ashraf Khalil and Isaam Jaghama, both 31, were found guilty of setting the fire at Star Pizza in the early hours of June 18, 2022.
Officials say the property, owned by Khalil and located at 300 West Indiana Avenue, housed both apartments and the pizza shop. They say Khalil and Jaghama set fire inside the building so Khalil could profit by filing an insurance claim for the damages.
The building collapsed as first responders were inside. Lt. Sean Williamson died and five other first responders were injured.
Officials say on the day of the fire, Khalil signed paperwork authorizing a $400,000 insurance claim on his behalf.
U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Romero called it “a wholly preventable tragedy, sparked by greed.”
“This fire wasn’t an accident or act of God,” Romero said. “But for these defendants, it never would have started, the building would still stand, and Lt. Williamson would still be with his family.”
Both men were convicted on conspiracy charges. Khalil was also found guilty of wire fraud.
Khalil faces a mandatory 17 years in prison and a possible life sentence.
Jaghama faces a mandatory seven-year sentence with the same possibility of life.