Suspect in deadly grow house blast appears in court

<p>A Bronx man charged in connection with a deadly home explosion last year in Kingsbridge appeared before a judge on Tuesday.</p>

News 12 Staff

Nov 28, 2017, 10:59 PM

Updated 2,570 days ago

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A Bronx man charged in connection with a deadly home explosion last year in Kingsbridge appeared before a judge on Tuesday.
Garivaldi Castillo is one of two men who were charged after the marijuana grow house explosion that killed FDNY Deputy Chief Michael Fahy.
Castillo stood beside his interpreter as his lawyer tried to convince the judge to approve a motion request in the case. The judge granted the application, which will require Con Edison to hand over all documents related to the Kingsbridge home on West 234th Street that exploded last September.
Castillo and Julio Salcedo are accused of transforming the Bronx home into a marijuana grow house. Prosecutors say the men tampered with gas lines, which investigators believe led to the blast that killed Fahy.
Police say the men sealed windows in the home, trapping gas. The explosion blew off a slate roof off the house and hit Fahy, a father of two and 17-year veteran of the FDNY. Twenty other people at the scene were injured.
The two suspects are charged with second-degree manslaughter. If convicted on the top charge, they could face up to 25 years in prison. Both men are due back in court Feb. 6.