The Manhattan man who allegedly set a deadly SoHo fire during a streak of jealousy will remain behind bars without bail, a judge decided yesterday.
An emotionless Wei Chu Hu, who is accused of killing an innocent newlywed woman by torching 41 Spring St. because he was convinced his wife was sleeping with another man, remained silent in court yesterday as his charges were read.
“The defendant deliberately set fire using a cigarette lighter by his own admission, which caused the near destruction of an entire building and one death,” said prosecutor Craig Ortiner of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, which has charged Hu with second-degree murder, arson and attempted assault.
Hu, 45, told cops he had argued with his wife, Zheng, over her alleged infidelity Thursday, authorities say. He menaced her with a knife — cutting her hand — and eventually torched two mattresses, they say.
“I die, you die, everybody dies,” he told his roommate, Ying Eng, 72, according to prosecutors.
As the flames grew inside the building, Hu attacked a cop and a firefighter outside to prevent them from going inside to rescue victims, sources said.
Lea Spivack, who had recently married longtime building resident Jim Spivack, perished in the blaze.