Man Sets New York Restaurant On Fire Over Botched Chicken Biryani Order

A dissatisfied customer of a restaurant in New York set the establishment on fire after he was served the wrong order.

The New York City Fire Department shared a video Tuesday which shows the food joint going up in flames early morning on Oct. 2. The perpetrator seen in the CCTV footage was identified as Choephel Norbu, 49, and arrested on Oct. 14.

Norbu arrived at Ittadi Garden and Grill, a Bangladeshi restaurant in Jackson Heights, on Oct. 1 and ordered chicken biryani, a savory rice dish. The server came out with the plate, allegedly containing the wrong order, causing Norbu to lose his temper.

"I was very drunk. I bought chicken biryani. They didn't give me chicken biryani. I was mad, and I threw it out," he was quoted as saying by the NYPost.

A waitress spoke to the outlet saying that Norbu yelled and fussed over being served the wrong order. He then threw the dish in a staff member's face.

"He ordered chicken biriyani and the people here behind the counter they take his order and when they bring it to him... He yells, 'what is this?' They say, 'your order, chicken biriyani,' and he throws it in their face!" Jahana Rahman said. "We don't know why he just throws it in their face! It was just crazy!" she added.

Hell hath no fury like Norbu served a botched chicken dinner. Causing a scene at the restaurant didn't pacify him enough to let the matter go. He showed up at the restaurant at 6 a.m. the following morning, dressed in black, and armed with gasoline.

The video starts with Norbu standing outside the shuttered establishment and looking around for a few moments. He then picks up the can of highly flammable liquid and pours it in through the shutters.

As he lit the fire, not only did the restaurant go up in flames but so did his own shoes and clothes; the video shows Norbu fleeing the scene.

"I bought a gas can, and I threw it at the store to try to burn it out. I lit it up, and boom, it got on me," he said, according to his criminal complaint.

Another man was seen in the video, making an unsuccessful attempt to put out the fire. The arson caused more than $1,500 worth of damage to the restaurant.

Norbu was set free a day after his arrest, Yahoo News reported. His release has angered the cops who worked hard to track him down, according to police sources. Norbu will head back to court on Dec. 18.