Who hasn’t grumbled to another employee during a work fire drill whilst milling around on the sidewalk outside the office, “Well, at least we aren’t at our desks…”? Cherishing the few moments outside while the fire alarm goes off is one thing, but New York officials say the head of security at a high-end hotel went a bit too far in setting fires just so he could partake in a few drinks on the job.

Such a work-shirking activity will get you accused of arson, reports the New York Daily News. The 30-year-old director of security at a hotel a few blocks from Times Square has been accused of setting a bunch of fires that would shut down the building for days. FDNY sources say he’d spend that time drinking on the job in empty guest rooms.

Fire marshals arrested the man after he allegedly gave inconsistent statements to investigators. He’s been charged with starting five small rubbish fires in hallways, stairwells and emergency exits at the hotel in the past two years.

On top of that, he allegedly set a few fires at another hotel where he worked as a security guard between 2009 and 2010. No one was injured in any of the blazes.

“He started the fires to lighten his work load,” an FDNY source reportedly told the New York Daily News. “Security directors get comp rooms at the hotel. After the fires, the hotel would be shut down for repairs and he would be in his comp room, boozing it up.”

“His story wasn’t matching up,” the source said. “The marshals pressed him further and he admitted to setting the fires so he could clear out the club and that the hotel would be closed for a few days. … He was still coming to work but had nothing to do.”

His lawyer says there is no video evidence of him starting the fires.

Times Square hotel security chief arrested for setting arson fires: FDNY [New York Daily News]

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