Salina police officers responded to a fire at a small apartment complex at 1800 South Broadway on March 25th at 9:50 am. The fire department requested assistance as there was an occupant, a 62-year-old female, still inside a room that was on fire. Despite efforts by firefighters, the occupant refused to leave the closet where she was hiding and became combative.
Officers intervened to extract her from the closet. The woman had reportedly set clothes on fire, resulting in damage to the carpet. She was treated for smoke inhalation and underwent a mental evaluation at the hospital. While no charges have been filed, police are investigating the incident as a possible case of arson.
The fire was reported by another resident of the apartment complex who noticed smoke emanating from the woman's window. Despite attempting to check on her, he was rebuffed when she shut the door on him. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.