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Father of boy who died in Buffalo fire was not supposed to be on premises

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – An official document says the father of the boy who died during a house fire in Buffalo was not supposed to be on the premises.

The fire, which happened Monday morning, resulted in the death of seven-year-old Anthony Conti.

His father, Joseph Conti, started the fire, according to sources.

WISH-TV’s sister station WIVB has learned there is an order of protection against Joseph Conti after an incident with his wife on New Year’s Eve.

A court document says he was charged with second-degree harassment after Conti was accused of spitting on and arguing with her.

There is an order of protection saying he was not allowed at the home on Benzinger Street.

WIVB was told Joseph lit a cigarette with a blow torch at the home on Benzinger St. before putting the blow torch on his bed.

The mattress caught fire, and the fire spread throughout the house.

“Sure enough, I go in my room, and my whole room was blazed, and I just started trying to put the bed out,” Joseph said. “I tried putting blankets over it and I – there was just nothing I could do. I was getting burned. I was inhaling flames.”

Anthony was found outside his bedroom. Paramedics tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead at a local hospital. His organs are being donated.

As of Tuesday afternoon, no new charges have been filed.