A memorial to Eric Garner, the Staten Island man who died in police custody, went up in flames Monday, and Garner's family is claiming it was intentionally set. NY1's Amanda Farinacci filed the following report.

 

Fire marshals on Tuesday took apart what's left of a makeshift memorial to 43-year-old Eric Garner, who died this summer after being placed in a chokehold by police. The lack of an indictment in the case sparked weeks of protest. 

 

At the site where the father of six died, flowers and handwritten notes went up in flames, leaving residents in Tompkinsville shaking their heads.

 

"You have superstars like LeBron James wearing 'I can't breathe' t-shirts and people in the NFL wearing 'I can't breathe,' but this is the state of Eric Garner's memorial?" said one resident.

 

The Rev. Al Sharpton and dozens of others had gathered at the memorial in a Martin Luther King Day tribute. 

 

Fire officials say the fire began accidentally at 10:30 p.m. Monday by a lit candle.

 

On Tuesday, Garner's stepfather, Benjamin Carr, showed up to clear the debris and build a new memorial. He said he doesn't believe the blaze was accidental.  

 

"That's a lie. I don't care what nobody says. This was intentional," Carr said. "Because Plexiglas burning like that does not melt that easy. Looks like somebody threw some liquid or something in there, and it started it."

 

Shopkeepers said they were asked by investigators for any surveillance video that may have captured the moment the fire started. 

 

Meanwhile, those who knew Garner said his death has led to necessary conversations about police, race and community relations. They said if the fire was intentionally set, it's because there's still resistance to that movement.

 

"When you're trying to bring forth a change, you have to be mindful there's people that aren't willing to want to change," said one person who knew Garner.

 

The Garner family said no matter how many times the memorial is destroyed, they will rebuild it every time.