A woman from the Waldo County town of Knox was arrested and charged with attempted murder in connection with a house fire on Monday.
Jessica Allsop, 41, has been charged with two counts of criminal attempt to commit murder, Shannon Moss, a spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety, said in a news release Wednesday. Allsop was also charged with arson and violating conditions of release, Moss said.
Waldo County sheriff’s deputies and the Knox Fire Department were dispatched to 1647 Bailey Road in Knox for a house fire at about 10:45 p.m. on Monday, Moss said.
Occupants of the home suppressed the blaze with a fire extinguisher and water before first responders’ arrived, Moss said, and it was mostly contained to one bedroom.
Investigators with the Office of State Fire Marshal determined the fire was intentionally set and Allsop, who was temporarily staying at the home, was taken into custody. She was brought to Waldo County Jail, where she was being held without bail, Moss said.
Two other occupants of the home were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation, Moss said, and several dogs in the home escaped uninjured.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less