Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - A Buffalo man has pled guilty to arson in the fire that destroyed The Old Pink in the city's Allentown neighborhood back in 2024.
Prosecutors say in the early morning hours of June 17, 2024, the Buffalo Fire Department responded to The Old Pink at 223 Allen Street to find the building engulfed in flames. The building was ultimately destroyed, and emergency demolition of the site commenced later that day.
Subsequent investigation by the Buffalo Fire Marshal’s Office determined that the fire had been deliberately set by someone. Prosecutors say investigators recovered a blue propane plumbers torch from the rear of the building. Video evidence also showed an individual in the rear of the building near the origin of the fire. The individual couldn’t be identified, but appeared to be wearing a dark colored jacket with some sort of emblem on the left arm and green and white sneakers.
The video evidence also shows that prior to the start of the fire, the individual brought two white garbage bags to the back of the building and was looking through the garbage totes. The individual is then seen walking away from the area of origin and a short time later, a visible fire can be seen.
Prosecutors add subsequent investigation determined 42-year-old John Burns was at The Old Pink earlier in the evening, and had a confrontation with an individual formerly contracted to work security for The Old Pink.
Investigators say the former security officer told law enforcement he had confronted Burns after a female patron complained that Burns had touched her inappropriately. Burns was asked to leave, but he refused. A fight ensued, and Burns stated: “I’ll be back (expletive). I’ll burn that (expletive) down, ain’t nobody going to have a job.”
Investigators reviewed the security footage of the fight at The Old Pink with the owner of the Essex St. Pub, a restaurant located at 530 Rhode Island Street in Buffalo. The owner identified Burns as the individual who had the confrontation with the former security guard. The owner recognized Burns, because he previously employed him at the Essex St. Pub.
Investigators also reviewed the security footage with two associates of Burns, both of whom identified him as the individual walking away from The Old Pink shortly after the fire began. Law enforcement interviewed one of the associates, who provided text messages that he received from Burns in the early morning hours of June 17, 2024. After describing what appeared to be the fight at The Old Pink, Burns stated, “Guerrilla mode on” and “Guerrilla BuffL9 is a go.”
The conversation continued:
Burns: Bail me out if I don’t call you at noon. Therz a fund.
Time Stamp Mon, June 17 at 5:57 a.m.
Associate: You’re killing me bro trying to sleep
Associate: What is going on
Burns: Nothing. Made my bed. Gonna defend it to the death at this point
Associate: See that is the problem and I have no idea what you’re talking about. You don’t give me any details you just say things. what are you talking about? What bed what are you doing? What happened?
Burns: Call or signal. Text bad
Burns: Whatever they probably a footage
Burns: Really though I can’t just say all the things that will later be investigated here
Burns: I’m going to the er….
In the early morning hours of Aug. 13, 2024 at 6:03 a.m., Burns was observed on video setting a fire in the parking lot of the Essex St. Pub, which was quickly extinguished by fire department members. Buffalo Fire Marshals determined that the origin of the fire was a pile of books that had been placed near the owner’s personal vehicle.
The owner told fire investigators he received a text message the previous night indicating that Burns had been denied entry to the pub due to disruptive behavior. The owner identified Burns on video as the person carrying a pile of books in his arms towards the rear parking lot, lighting the books on fire, and then leaving the area.
The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 27, 2026.
