Man burns Manhattan church pews, calls it a “New Year’s fire”: Police

A Manhattan man was arrested Saturday night for his strange — and dangerous — way of celebrating the New Year.

Police arrested Regis De Foucauld at about 10:53 p.m. on charges of arson, criminal mischief and reckless endangerment after he was caught tying to escape from the Church of Heavenly Rest — where he had started a fire.

An interview with staff of the Episcopal church, located at 2 East 90th St., revealed that De Foucauld had entered the place of worship and began stacking pew cushions on a pew, along with some paper he had been tearing up. He then lit the pew on fire, according to police.

When he was asked what he was doing, De Foucauld allegedly said “don’t worry, it’s a New Year’s fire.” He then began hitting a glass window inside the vestibule — with what is believed to be a paperweight — and broke the glass pane.

The FDNY also responded to the scene and put out the fire.

De Foucauld was taken to New York Presbyterian Hospital for evaluation.