Mineola man facing arson charge after chemistry experiment leads to apartment fire

A Mineola man who allegedly started a fire at his apartment building while conducting a chemistry experiment early Sunday has been arrested on an arson charge, Nassau County police said.

Nolan Gaugler, 34, was experimenting in his Lincoln Avenue apartment about 2:40 a.m. when the chemical mixture "reacted violently,"  police said in a news release.

Gaugler then grabbed the concoction and hurled it into the building’s third-floor hallway, sparking a fire that damaged the hallway and floor, according to police. The occupants of the apartment building were temporarily evacuated. No injuries were reported.

Investigators found a substantial amount of chemicals and laboratory supplies in Gaugler’s unit, said the release, which did not identify the specific materials that may have caused the fire. The materials were safely discarded, according to the release.

Gaugler was arrested without incident, police said. He was charged with first-degree reckless endangerment, fourth-degree arson and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He was released with nonmonetary conditions at his arraignment Monday at First District Court in Hempstead.

By Tiffany Cusaac-Smith

tiffany.cusaac-smith@newsday.com@T_Cusaac

Tiffany Cusaac-Smith is a general assignment reporter for Newsday. She previously worked at USA TODAY and is an alum of Howard University.