A 40-year-old woman intentionally set fire Tuesday night to the midtown Tucson house she was living in, destroying it, police say.
Sabrina Phillips was arrested and is facing charges of arson of an occupied structure, criminal damage and aggravated assault, said Sgt. Kimberly Bay, a Tucson Police Department spokeswoman.
Phillips, who failed to follow officers' orders at the scene, was stunned with a Taser and taken to a hospital, Bay said Wednesday. Her injuries were described as not life-threatening.
After Phillips is released from the hospital, she will be booked into the Pima County jail, Bay said.Β
On Tuesday shortly before 7 p.m., multiple 911 calls were made reporting a house fire in the 3400 block of East 28th Street, which is south of Reid Park and west of South Alvernon Way.
When firefighters arrived on scene, the house was fully engulfed in flames, said Capt. Barrett Baker, a Tucson Fire Department spokesman.
Firefighters requested assistance from Tucson police because there were reports that the fire may have been intentionally set, said Bay.
When officers arrived within minutes, they noticed that two people were attempting to detain a woman north of the burning house on the property. Officers were told that the woman "possibly set the fire," said Bay.
The woman was holding small lighters in each hand, police said. Officers gave multiple orders to the woman, but she refused to listen and follow their commands, said Bay.
An officer stunned the woman with a Taser and she was detained. She was evaluated by paramedics and then taken to a hospital.
Meanwhile, firefighters were battling the blaze. Β
"There was so much fire that the initial crew could not get inside the house," Baker said. He said multiple hose lines were set up to battle the flames and keep the "suspicious" fire from spreading to a house west of the scene.
It took firefighters about 45 minutes to bring the fire under control. A search was made inside the house, and no one was hurt in the blaze, Baker said. He said a man and two teen boys who lived in the home were not injured. The family animals β a dog, four cats and two birds β were missing.
The house is considered a total loss, but a damage estimate was not released.
Tucson police arson detectives and Tucson fire investigators remained at the scene throughout Tuesday night. Investigators said it appears the fire was intentionally set and began inside the residence, said Bay.
The woman had been inside the house and when she went outdoors, she attempted to burn other items in the yard before two people intervened and tried to detain her before officers arrived, Bay said.Β
The Southern Arizona Chapter of the American Red Cross was assisting the displaced family, Baker said.
