A Sagaponack man has been accused of setting fire to a $34 million oceanfront Hamptons mansion reportedly belonging to a fellow developer over the weekend.
David Osiecki was arrested and charged with two counts of arson—one for the Water Mill house fire, the other for an earlier brush fire in Bridgehampon, Southampton Town Police said.
The 54-year-old suspect told a New York Post reporter outside Southampton Town Justice Court that he was “trying to save his best friend Ziel,” referring to Ziel Feldman, who owns the house on the eastern end of Dune Road that Osiecki allegedly torched, the newspaper reported.
The 1,600-square-foot mansion has seven bedrooms, 8.5 bathrooms, fully retractable curved windows and a glass roof, according to a 2011 real estate feature.
Bridgehampton, Southampton, East Hampton, Sag Harbor, Amagansett, North Sea and Hampton Bays firefighters responded to the blaze that was reported shortly before 6 a.m. Saturday.
Osiecki was taken into custody later the same day. Suffolk County police Arson Squad detectives, fire marshals and Southampton Town Fire Marshals responded to the scene to investigate.
Suffolk police had previously summonsed Osiecki for trespassing on April 3, court records show. He’s due back in court on May 29 on that case.
Southampton police detectives ask anyone with information on the alleged arson to call them at 631-702-2230. All calls will be kept confidential.
