BIDDEFORD — After turning herself in, a woman who lived at 22 Cutts St. was charged with arson in connection with a fire that destroyed that building on Nov. 9.
No one was injured in the fire, but 13 people living in the 10-unit building were left homeless.
Nicole M. Howe, 28, turned herself in to fire investigators at the Biddeford Police Department at approximately 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, said Maine State Fire Marshal Sgt. Joel Davis.
Howe was charged with arson and taken to the York County Jail in Alfred, where she is being held in lieu of $25,000 bail.
She started the fire Tuesday, Nov. 9 around 10:15 p.m. on the first floor porch outside the apartment in which she and her mother lived, said Davis. Newspapers were stuffed into a baby carriage and set on fire.
Howe became a suspect as a result of inconsistent statements she made to investigators, and witness interviews, said Davis.
She has been living at a motel with her mother since the fire.
Since this summer, there were “three other small fires involving small combustibles” at 22 Cutts St., said Davis. He said those fires didn’t cause significant damage.
Howe is a “person of interest” in those fires, said Davis.
“I’m very happy they found out who did it and it was so quick,” said Aaron Wiswell, of Lebanon, the owner of the property.
He said he’s thankful to the Maine State Fire Marshal’s office, the Biddeford Police Department and the Biddeford Fire Department for finding the individual responsible.
Wiswell, who doesn’t manage the property himself, said he wasn’t aware of problems with Howe. Tenants had complained of bedbugs at the building, he said, but twice when a pest management company was scheduled to go to Howe’s apartment, the tenants canceled the appointments.
Wiswell added that he was glad no one was hurt as a result of the fire. Even so, the tenants lost all of their possessions.
The community has been helping the fire victims since the night of the fire. Over the weekend, furniture and other donations were collected to help them.
Those wishing to donate items or money to the victims should contact Leo Menard, with the Biddeford-Saco Rotary Club, by e-mail at lmenard@maine.rr.com or by phone at 229-7525, or call Stone Soup Food Pantry at 283-0055.
— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.
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