A 39-year-old Evansville woman was arrested on March 6 following an investigation into a residential fire that occurred in the town of Elberfeld in Warrick County, Ind.
Jennifer York was arrested at the scene of the fire on the morning of March 6. When rescue crews arrived, they found her inside the homeowner's vehicle attempting to leave the scene. Also found in the vehicle were the homeowner's cell phone, cash and a collection of oatmeal pies taken from the home without permission, according to an arrest report.
Investigators from the Indiana State Fire Marshal and Warrick County Sheriff's Office discovered she had allegedly set the fire and wrongfully acquired his vehicle and other personal possessions. Firefighters from the Elberfeld Fire Department successfully extinguished the fire.
During an interview with investigators, York first said the fire was an accident and the result of a cleaning liquid igniting on the stairs, according to reports. After further questioning, however, she allegedly admitted to setting the home’s basement stairs on fire with a homemade incendiary device. Investigators say she also filmed the event with the intention of sharing the video on social media.
York is currently being held in the Warrick County jail with a bond set at $7,505 cash.
Many intentionally set fire investigations remain open around the state. Investigators encourage anyone with information regarding a potential arson to call the Indiana Arson Hotline at 800-382-4628. The Indiana State Fire Marshal functions as a section of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.