Dayton, Ohio – A woman from Dayton is facing aggravated arson charges after setting her house on fire using gas she had stolen from her neighbor.
Fire crews responded to reports of a house on fire in the 100 block of Mound Street around 1:30 p.m. on Monday afternoon.
Upon arriving at the scene, firefighters did not immediately start extinguishing the fire because someone tipped them that the homeowner might be still inside the home. They conducted an intense search for the resident inside the blazing residence.
“While searching for Josie, the stairs to the second floor collapsed creating significant danger to the firefighters completing searching and fire extinguishment,” according to court records. Eventually, the homeowner, 43-year-old Josie Rector, returned to the residence to confess to setting the house on fire and turn herself in.
Rector admitted to officers she doused the stolen gas over the walls and stairs of the house and started the fire.
Rector was taken into custody on aggravated arson charges.
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