The police said the apartment building where the child lived was a notorious drug location.

"It was a known drug location," said an investigator, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Sergeant Burns said both sites were regarded by the police as "known drug locations."

A police official described the spot as a "known drug location."

Precinct commanders already keep track of what the police call "drug locations" and "hot spots."

Yesterday's fire was the second in two days at what the police termed drug locations.

The police said there were no reports that the block was a drug location.

If they're on the street, hanging around drug locations.

The area is a known drug location, but the police said it was not clear whether the youths and the man had argued about drugs.

But community police officers from the 109th Precinct said the apartment was not known as a drug location.