A New Jersey ‘cat lady’ facing eviction intentionally burned down the house she shared with dozens of cats.
The woman and the cats perished in the fire.
According to authorities, the woman, who refused to leave the property after being served an eviction notice, started the fire in Roosevelt around 11 am on Wednesday.
“We’re getting reports that the resident turned on the gas of the residence prior to igniting,” New Jersey State Police Lt. Lawrence Peele said, according to CBS News.
CBS News reported:
One woman is dead and a house destroyed after a massive fire in New Jersey, and police say the fire was started on purpose.
Flames billowed into the sky, and home has been burnt to the core.
“We’re getting reports that the resident turned on the gas of the residence prior to igniting,” New Jersey State Police Lt. Lawrence Peele said.
NJSP say the woman living in the Cedar Court home was served an eviction notice but refused to leave. The female tenant threatened to blow up the house, which led to neighbors being evacuated.
Troopers responded to the house, but a standoff ensued.
“They knocked on our door this morning. Thank God it was a pretty loud knock. I grabbed [my son]. They told us to leave. She was threatening with a bomb or to bomb the house and ended up with a fire,” neighbor Erin Luca said.
The home is now a shell of what it once was, the roof and walls completely charred. The fire spread to an attached home, causing significant damage.
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