A Westbury man was arrested after a residential house fire Tuesday morning, during which authorities said they discovered dozens of neglected chickens on the property.
Nassau County police said officers responded to a house fire at 10 a.m. on July 28 at 67 Mist Lane. When they arrived, they found an active kitchen fire. The East Meadow Fire Department extinguished the flames, and no injuries were reported.
During the investigation, officers found several crates containing multiple chickens in the backyard. The Nassau County SPCA and Humane Long Island responded, and the chickens were safely removed from the property. The Nassau County Arson Bomb Squad and the Nassau County Fire Marshal also responded to the scene.
Police arrested Victor Xu, 44, of 67 Mist Lane, without incident. He was charged with 66 counts of torturing or injuring animals/failure to provide sustenance.
Xu was issued an appearance ticket and is scheduled to appear in First District Court in Hempstead on Aug. 10.
