The Fox News Headquarters, located in midtown Manhattan, holds a 50-foot Christmas tree that comes up every December. It stands in the middle of many News Corp. buildings such as The Wall Street Journal and The New York Post. On December 8th however, the tree was set on fire in an instant, taking over more than half of the Christmas tree. The fire had continued throughout the early hours of the morning after midnight, but luckily the tree was able to be extinguished before it could spread further. 

The man who set the fire, Craigh Tamanaha, 49, was charged for several crimes such as second-degree criminal mischief, a felony, second-degree reckless endangerment and fifth-degree arson. He was quickly put in custody just after the incident, stopping him from doing anything else. It was revealed that he had carried a lighter with him. The news of the fire had quickly spread, hence being at a News Corp. Plaza, and many had begun to know the situation going on.

It’s unclear if the fire was set because he was premeditated or politically motivated, but it was more likely that that he had done it by himself for some unknown reason, stated police. “I think it’s one where he’s working alone. It’s all very fresh. It’s probably a little preliminary to say what the motivation was. Was mental illness a factor? We’re looking at all of that,” said NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea.

The Fox News Building had just celebrated the ceremony of the tree on December 5th, only for it to burn up just a few days after the big moment. However, the destruction will not be an issue for long. “This has become a new wonderful tradition on FOX Square over the last three years. We will not let this deliberate and brazen act of cowardice deter us,” states Suzanne Scott, a Fox News Media CEO. A new tree is set to be replaced, and will “resemble a message of peace, light and joy, even during a dark moment like this,” Scott says.