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Officials: Woman started massive blaze after losing home in divorce

Authorities in Paulding County, Georgia, arrested Adrienne Satterly, 41, on 14 counts of first-degree arson and three counts of aggravated animal cruelty.

PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — Authorities said a Georgia woman accused of setting a fire that spread to 19 houses started it in the house she lost in a divorce.

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Paulding County fire officials said Adrienne Satterly, 41, of Hiram, stacked a pile of mattresses in the living room of the home, on Rosemont Court in Hiram, early Sunday morning.

She then lit the mattresses on fire and left the house with her two cats, fire officials said.

The fire spread to 19 separate homes in the Greystone Subdivision, destroying four homes and damaging 16 others, firefighters said.

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The fire was reported at 3:25 a.m.

Satterly is charged with 14 counts of first-degree arson and three counts of aggravated animal cruelty.

Neighbors told WSBTV that they ran out of their homes with almost nothing but their lives.

“I lost my two dogs, which is the hardest thing because material things can be replaced, but my dogs is my -- that breaks my heart,” neighbor Auzalea Godfrey said.

Fire investigators said Satterly called 911 after walking about an hour to a nearby Walmart after starting the fire.

Satterly remained jailed Tuesday in Paulding County, where she is being held without bond.

Neighbors said she gave them no warning.