Resident Accused Of Setting Fire At Golden Acres Home

SPRING VALLEY, NY — A woman living at the Golden Acres Adult Residential Facility faces charges of arson and attempted murder after Spring Valley police were called to the home Tuesday morning about a fire that had been deliberately set "in the recent past."

Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II announced that Safarah B. De
Silva, 71, of Spring Valley was charged with Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, Arson in
the Second Degree and Attempted Arson in the Second Degree.

At this point in the investigation, there does not appear to be any connection to the fatal fire that occurred at the Evergreen Home on March 23, 2021, Walsh said.

On April 6, 2021 at approximately 09:40 AM, The Spring Valley Police Department responded
to The Golden Acres Adult Residential Facility, located at 11 Prospect St., Spring Valley, for a
report of a fire started by a resident of the facility. Desilva was accused of starting a fire in the nursing home to cause harm to a male resident, police said.

She was taken into custody and charged with arson and attempted murder, both felonies, police said. Desilva was arraigned before the Honorable Judge Fried and transported to the Rockland county Jail where she is being held on $100,000 bail, police said.

“As alleged, the defendant’s actions on April 6, 2021 put the victim’s life at risk and the residents at the faculty in jeopardy," Walsh said. "Thanks to the great work of our partners at Spring ValleyPolice Department, the defendant now faces serious charges for her crimes."

The alleged arson is "a completely separate incident" from the massive, fatal fire at the Evergreen Court Home for Adults last week in Spring Valley, police said.

That fire killed one resident and a firefighter and injured nine other residents. Some of the more than 100 Evergreen residents displaced by the fire were relocated to Golden Acres.

SEE:

Team Probing Fatal Spring Valley Fire: Won't Rush To Conclusions

Spring Valley Fire: Relocating More Than 100 Residents

Rockland Mourns: Fallen Firefighter Jared Lloyd Laid To Rest