ALEX LLOYD GROSS PHOTO/DELAWARE VALLEY NEWS.COM US ATTORNEY JACQUELINE ROMERO FILE PHOTO
by Alex Lloyd Gross
April 20, 2023
Two Philadelphia residents are in trouble with federal authorities after they allegedly set a fire inside 300 West Indiana Avenue. This fire destroyed several apartments and a business. Al-Ashraf Khalil, 29, and Isaam Jaghama, 29, both of Philadelphia, PA. one count of conspiracy to commit malicious damage by means of fire of a building used in interstate commerce, and one count of malicious damage by means of fire of a building used in interstate commerce. Khalil was also charged with one count of wire fraud, and one count of using fire in furtherance of the commission of that wire fraud.
On June 18, 2022, which resulted in the death of Philadelphia Firefighter Lieutenant Sean Williamson, and injuries to five other first responders, who were inside the building when it collapsed following fire suppression activities. Defendant Khalil was the owner of the property at 300 West Indiana Avenue, which contained both apartments and a business.
According to the allegations in the indictment, Khalil and Jaghama set a fire inside 300 West Indiana Avenue so that Khalil could profit by filing an insurance claim related to the fire. According to the indictment, after the fire occurred, Khalil signed paperwork authorizing an insurance adjuster to file an insurance claim on his behalf. As alleged in the indictment, this claim was then filed on June 20, 2022.