POUGHKEEPSIE – The city fire and police departments in Poughkeepsie are investigating a suspicious fire that occurred on Thursday evening on North White Street. A pet cat perished in the blaze that brought three fire departments to the scene.
City firefighters were dispatched to 9 North White Street Thursday at approximately 6:42 pm for a report of a fire. While responding, city dispatch was able to confirm the fire using an existing surveillance camera. The first arriving crew saw flames in the second-floor windows of the multi-family house. Additional manpower and equipment were requested from the Arlington and Fairview fire departments.
While a crew was making sure all occupants had escaped, they determined that the fire looked to have been started intentionally. As firefighters worked to extinguish the fire, officials were interviewing neighbors in an attempt to locate the female tenant. They were assisted by City of Poughkeepsie police officers.
While the fire was being put out, a woman, later identified as the tenant, called city 911 to report that she had started the fire and was going to police headquarters to turn herself in.
While at the police station, according to one source, the woman indicated that she had strangled her pet cat and then set the cat on fire because “the cat was possessed by demons.”
No other injuries were reported at the scene. The investigation is ongoing and the tenant may face criminal charges.
Video of Arlington and Fairview firefighters outside of the structure while city firefighters work inside the building:
