By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- Tyler J. Russell, 24, of Endwell, was charged Monday with six counts of second-degree manslaughter and one count of fourth-degree arson in connection with a fire at the Knights Inn that killed six people and displaced dozens of residents.
- The fire erupted shortly after 6 a.m. Sunday at the motel on East Main Street, fully engulfing the 24,000-square-foot structure and prompting a response from ten fire departments.
- The Broome County Department of Social Services had placed most of the motel’s residents at the facility as temporary housing before the fire destroyed the building.
- Russell previously spent two years in state prison on a grand larceny conviction and was released on parole in February before being charged in this incident.
- The Red Cross is assisting displaced residents and accepting donations of clothing and hygiene products.
ENDWELL, N.Y. — Tyler J. Russell, 24, of Endwell, was charged Monday night with six counts of second-degree manslaughter and one count of fourth-degree arson in connection with a fire that destroyed the Knights Inn motel and claimed six lives Sunday morning.
State Police said several callers reported the fire at the Knights Inn, located at 2603 East Main Street in Endwell, just after 6 a.m. Sunday. Responding firefighters found heavy black smoke and flames emanating from the building, which burned for hours before being fully extinguished. Ten fire departments and several ambulance services responded to the incident.
The Broome County Department of Social Services had placed most of the motel’s residents at the facility as temporary housing. The fire rendered the structure uninhabitable, and the county is working with the Red Cross to assist those displaced by the blaze.
The Knights Inn consists of 24,000 square feet with 76 units. The property was purchased by Hiland Hospitality LLC in 2005 for approximately $1 million, according to Broome County property records.
Displaced residents were provided temporary shelter overnight at Vestal United Methodist Church on Main Street in Vestal. The Red Cross is accepting donations of clothing and hygiene products but not food items at the church location. Additional displaced residents relocated to stay with family and friends in the area.
Russell previously spent two years incarcerated in state prison on a fourth-degree grand larceny charge and was released on parole in February 2026, according to state prison records. He is being held at Broome County Jail pending arraignment. As of the time of reporting, state authorities had not released the identities of the six deceased victims.