Pittsburgh Woman Being Evicted Sets House On Fire: Police

PITTSBURGH, PA — A woman is in custody after allegedly setting fire to a residence in a Pittsburgh neighborhood from which she was being evicted.

On Wednesday, police were dispatched to the 5300 block of Mossfield Street in Garfield for a reported break-in.

The property owner told officers that a woman, who was in the process of being evicted, had entered the residence to retrieve her belongings. A state constable served the eviction notice and remained on scene while she collected her items.

About an hour later, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire responded to the same location after a passerby called 911 to report smoke coming from the second-story bedroom window. As the state constable entered the home to check the property, the woman fled the scene in her vehicle.

Upon entering the bedroom, the constable encountered heavy smoke. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire.

The Fire Investigation Unit determined the fire was intentionally set by the woman being evicted.

Police from Zone 5 later took the woman into custody at the intersection of East Liberty Boulevard and North Highland Avenue.

Keila Fiqueroa, 48, is facing multiple charges in connection with the incident. These include felony counts of aggravated arson, causing or risking catastrophe, arson endangering property, arson-reckless burning or exploding, criminal mischief and a summary offense for dangerous burning.