Miriam Luna-Ruiz is charged with aggravated arson and aggravated assault for allegedly setting fire in three separate locations inside her home Friday afternoon.
TRENTON - A 32-year-old woman has been charged with setting fire to her own residence on South Clinton Avenue last week, police said.
Miriam Luna-Ruiz is charged with aggravated arson and aggravated assault for allegedly setting fire in three separate locations inside her home in the 1200 block of South Clinton Avenue Friday afternoon, police said.
Miriam Luna-Ruiz The 12:45 p.m. fire eventually grew to two alarms, spread to the attached home next door and displaced 12 people, including Luna-Ruiz.
The teams of firefighters who extinguished the fire were immediately suspicious since they found the three separate starting points.
Arson investigators questioned Luna-Ruiz at the scene, and later at police headquarters Friday night and found she allegedly started the fire due to a dispute with a male resident of the home, officials said.
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Luna-Ruiz was arrested and charged following the interview with investigators.
Detectives also located surveillance footage nearby that shows a woman matching Luna-Ruiz's description leaving the house moments before the fire started, police said.
Next-door neighbor Sarenah McFadden, 13, was the first to dial 911 after the teen smelled something burning and spotted smoke seeping into her house through every crevice.
McFadden made sure her younger sister Anastasia, 8, and three other family members got out of the house.
Trenton firefighters fought the fire on a particularly hot day and were assisted by four Hamilton fire companies at the scene.
Trenton detectives Thomas Brophy and Charles Steever, Mercer County Prosecutor's Office Detective Peter Fiabane and Trenton Chief Fire Marshal Mike Oakley investigated the fire.
Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.