Woman Charged With Arson for One of Two Fires in Apartment House
A woman is charged with arson for setting one of two fires in her apartment on New Year's day. The first fire was extinguished but the second destroyed the building. The same woman had previously lived at another apartment house destroyed by fire.
Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland said in a press release that the State Fire Marshal's office has charged Jackie McBurnie, age 33, with arson for the fire that damaged the kitchen wall in her Lewiston apartment.
Fire investigators say she started the first fire that was extinguished with minor damage to the Bartlett Street apartment. Ten hours later, a second fire broke out at about 2 a.m. inside McBurnie's bedroom. That fire destroyed the building and left 12 people homeless.
Fire investigators worked closely with Lewiston Police and the Lewiston Fire Department on the case. An additional arson charge for the second fire is expected.