A 70-year-old woman in Connecticut arrested for arson Friday after an early morning fire landed an 89-year-old in the hospital and displaced more than a dozen people, police and fire officials said.
First responders were called around 3:30 a.m. to Woodside Village, a two-story home in Bloomfield, the Trumbull Times reported. When they arrived at the scene, they were met by a heavy fire that quickly spread from the back of the house to the second floor.
Fire Marshal Roger Nelson said people were already rushing out of the burning building when first responders arrived on the scene. He added that police worked quickly to evacuate those still inside while firefighters battled the blaze.
When officers helped a 70-year-old woman escape the building, she allegedly admitted to starting the fire. She was taken into custody at the scene and charged with arson. Her bail was set at $500,000, NBC Connecticut reported.
The suspect was later identified as Maria Salasalthough her motives remain unclear. Police did not release any further details about the criminal aspect of the fire.
It took about half an hour to contain the flames, Nelson said. Once they were all out, the building – which consists of 16 units – was considered uninhabitable. Nelson said two apartments were left charred, while the rest suffered smoke damage.
“The whole building is displaced at the moment,” Nelson told the Trumbull Times, adding that most of the residents were over 60 years old. “We will get them back as soon as possible.”
One resident, an 89-year-old woman, was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation, Nelson said.
Bloomfield Social Services and the Red Cross are working together to help the displaced residents.