An 89-year-old woman was taken to a hospital as a precaution after a fire in Bloomfield early Friday morning and a 70-year-old woman has been arrested and charged with arson after telling police she set the fire, according to police.
Police were called around 3 a.m. Friday to respond to an apartment building on Dorothy Drive that was on fire and they worked with firefighters to evacuate the building.
As officers were assisting a 70-year-old woman out of the building, she uttered that she was the one who set the fire, police said.
The fire department extinguished the fire and the building is deemed uninhabitable, according to police.
The 89-year-old woman who was taken to the hospital was transported as a precaution for smoke inhalation.
The 70-year-old woman who was arrested has been charged with arson and her bond was set at $500,000.
At her arraignment in court on Friday, it was said that Maria Salas has lived in Connecticut her whole life. She is currently retired, and she has a number of mental health concerns.
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She has no pending matters, but she does have what was called "a dated record." On her record is criminal mischief, assault, and larceny from decades ago.
On Friday, a judge lowered the bond to $299,000. The judge gave her a stay-away order, so she isn't allowed on or near the property.
Bloomfield Social Services and the Red Cross responded to assist the 16 to 20 displaced residents.
The Bloomfield police department’s detective unit is investigating with the Bloomfield Center Fire department and the state fire marshal.
She is due back in court on Oct. 4.
