Police have arrested Avon Stephens, 23, on federal arson charges in connection with the fire in a parking garage that damaged 135 vehicles in Brooklyn's Mill Basin neighborhood on Monday

A man has been charged with starting a fire in a parking garage that damaged at least 135 vehicles and sent thick black smoke billowing over a Brooklyn neighborhood.

Avon Stephens, 23, of Brooklyn, was arrested on Monday, hours after the blaze broke out on two floors of the four-story garage at around 9am in the Mill Basin neighborhood.

Fire officials say 21 people were injured, with 18 of those being firefighters. None of the injuries are considered life-threatening.

The complaint states that Stephens said he 'was motivated to start the fire by his belief that others used the parked vehicles for sexual activity.'

The Kings Plaza mall, where the garage is located, was closed on Monday and Tuesday, as a result.

Stephens was denied bail during a court appearance on Tuesday and remains in custody.

It was not immediately clear whether he had a lawyer who could comment.

Stephens was seen on camera apologizing as he was arrested on Monday.

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Stephens was denied bail during a court appearance on Tuesday and remains in custody

A picture of surveillance footage released by police depicts a shirtless male, who is said to be Stephens, with a white shirt hung over his shoulder, wearing dark pants and dark colored footwear.

He was spotted leaving the Kings Plaza Shopping Center in Brooklyn shortly before the fire broke out.

The person in the video made an obscene gesture toward the surveillance camera once he noticed it.

The blaze ignited shortly before 9am in the parking garage, calling for more than 200 firefights to tackle the seven-alarm fire that quickly spread.

Stephens is believed to be the man caught on surveillance footage leaving the Kings Plaza Shopping Center in Brooklyn before the fire broke out

The massive fire covered the side of the parking garage in ash and injured at least 18 firefighters and three civilians

Billowing clouds of black smoked filled the area on Monday as the fires raged on for hours

An aerial view of the area revealed the severity of the fire, blackened the side of the garage

Multiple cars went up in flames inside the parking garage, spreading to another floor and quickly elevating the severity of the blaze within an hour, ABC reported.

Dramatic video and photos show huge plumes of thick black smoke billowing in the air while emergency crews work to contain the blaze.

It took nearly three hours to get the fire under control, with the initial cause still under investigation.

Rescue workers have suffered various levels of smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion while tackling the fire, according to authorities.

The blaze began Monday morning at a parking garage for the Kings Plaza Shopping Center

More than 200 firefighters responded to assist with putting out the seven alarm fire

Multiple cars caught fire around 9am and the blaze quickly spread to another level

FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said by 11am most of the fire was 'virtually extinguished' and the crew had moved on to checking for structural damage.

'Units responded and found there to be multiple cars being stored here by a local car dealer,' Nigro said. 'We're not sure yet how many of them burned, but many of these cars were involved in this fire.'

Many of the vehicles were Mercedes, according to the criminal complaint.

Witnesses reported hearing loud popping sounds, which Nigro said were tires exploding.

Dramatic video and pictures show thick black smoke billowing from the scene

A man was seen taken away in a stretcher following the fire on Monday morning

Those with heart or lung conditions such as asthma were instructed to avoid the area, stay indoors and keep windows closed due to smoke

The fire quickly spread within an hour, accelerating to a seven alarm fire as it raged on

A FDNY firefighter cools off after fighting the massive fire at the Kings Plaza Shopping Center

'Any time you have a car fire, you're likely to have certainly tires explode,' Nigro said.' 'And much of what they heard were tires on these multiple vehicles exploding many times. Very dangerous for our members, and for anybody nearby,' he added.

The mall opens at 10am and was closed to the public when the fire began.

A shopping center spokesperson warned the public to 'avoid the area' while the FDNY responded to the fire.

The initial cause of the fire is under investigation, Nigro said, adding that the heat, confined space and toxic smoke made this an especially challenging fire to fight.

A cop directs traffic during a seven-alarm fire while the public is urged to avoid the area