A woman in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has been charged with arson and reckless endangerment after allegedly setting fire to her father's apartment complex, forcing elderly residents to dangle from windows to escape the blaze. Laquita Spears, 48, is accused of igniting the fire on January 13 following an argument with her father over $5.
According to a criminal complaint, Spears used charcoal fluid and a Bic lighter to set fire to a coat and a couch inside her father's flat. As she did so, she allegedly screamed 'burn motherf***** burn!' before leaving the scene. The fire quickly spread to other units in the complex, which houses elderly and disabled individuals.
Police said that residents were 'self-evacuating' and some were hanging out of windows. One person was hospitalised with chest pain after being found unresponsive and not breathing. The building lacked a fire sprinkler system, according to the complaint.
Spears had been living in her father's flat for several weeks but was evicted after a fight with her parents. Witnesses, including her father, reported that she had been 'constantly talking to herself' in the weeks leading up to the incident. She has prior convictions for arson.
In an interview with police, Spears admitted to setting the fire but claimed she did not intend to harm anyone and did not think the flames would spread as they did. She is being held on charges of arson and reckless endangerment.
