PITTSBURGH — A woman is facing charges after police say she started a fire that forced an evacuation at an apartment building in Pittsburgh.
A Pittsburgh Public Safety public information officer said emergency crews were called to the 1400 block of Poplar Street in Oakwood for reports of a fire at 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday.
Police saw a woman leaving an apartment and saw heavy smoke coming from her unit. Crews evacuated the other residents from the building.
Inside the unit, firefighters found a large pile of burning papers on a stovetop with a burner turned on. Those flames spread to the wall and kitchen cabinets, but were quickly extinguished.
Investigators estimate the fire caused $5,000 in damage.
Police arrested Ekatelina Kotova, 42, at the scene. She is charged with aggravated arson, endangering persons and property, criminal mischief and causing or risking catastrophe.
Kotova is being held at the Allegheny County Jail.
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