Arrest made in apartment fire
NORTH COVENTRY » Police have charged a resident of the Ashwood Apartments with 255 felonies in connection with the July 30 blaze that destroyed the building and left more than 100 people homeless.
Toni Kirk, 30, was a resident of apartment 315 where investigators believe the three-alarm fire started, according to police.
She was the “only person seen exiting the unit on the third floor just prior to the building alarms activating,” according to police.
“Multiple witnesses said the defendant was the only one to exit apartment No. 315 after the fire,” according to a press release from the office of “Chester County Attorney Deb Ryan.
“Subsequently, in an interview with police, Kirk admitted that she was present in the building at the time of the fire, but alleged that another person started the fire. Police later determined that the person the defendant accused was not at the location at the time of the fire,” according to the release.
“On July 31, Chester County Chief Fire Marshal John Weer and Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Timothy Pray determined the fire originated in the living room of apartment No. 315, on or near a bed or mattress.
The fire has been ruled “incendiary,” according to a press release posted on the North Coventry Police Crimewatch page. That means it was deliberately set under circumstances in which the person knows the fire should not be ignited.
Police are not releasing a believed motive for the fire, but did say Kirk is believed
“to have a substance abuse addiction.”
Damages from the fire were estimated at $5 million according to the district attorney’s office.
Charges were filed at noon Oct. 7 and Kirk is in the custody of the Broome County Sheriff’s Department in Binghamton, N.Y., awaiting extradition back to Pennsylvania.
Kirk is charged with two counts of causing or risking a catastrophe; three counts of aggravated assault; seven counts of simple assault and 250 accounts of recklessly endangering another person, all felonies.
She also faces the misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief, filing false reports and falsely incriminating another.
According to district attorney, one victim heard a loud bang, observed the defendant outside apartment No. 315 and saw smoke coming out of the apartment, but became overcome by smoke when she tried to leaver her apartment.”
“Norco Fire Chief Joel McMillian located the victim on the third floor, and carried her out of the building to safety,” according to the district attorney.
“Several other victims suffered smoke inhalation and respiratory difficulties, as well as other injuries as a result of the fire and required hospitalization. Over 200 fire and EMS personnel responded to the scene to assist,” according to the district attorney’s office.
“Several firefighters were treated for burns, heat exhaustion and chest pain. While no one, fortunately, lost their lives in the Ashwood Apartments fire, the long-term impact on these people and their families is devastating,” said Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan.
“They lost their homes, their belongings, and their sense of safety. We thank the North Coventry Township
Police Department, Chester County Fire Marshal, Norco Fire Department, Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal Unit, DES, and EMS for their heroic efforts by saving lives,” Ryan said in the press release issued Wednesday evening. “They are a testament to the fearless first responders who risk their own safety in order to protect us every day.”
“We have a long history of working closely with the Chester County District Attorney’s Office, Chester County Detectives, the Fire Marshal’s Office, Department of Emergency Services, the Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal Unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms in Philadelphia,” interim North Coventry Township Police Chief Matt Deicher said in the release.
“Thank you for the swift action of our first responders from the Norco Fire Company and their mutualaid all-volunteer fire companies that assisted in bringing the fire under control and saved the lives of those who were trapped in the burning building,” Deicher said.
“We are blessed that no lives were lost and we are hopeful that justice will serve the victims as the case moves through the courts,” he said.
“The great teamwork between the local municipal authorities, fire investigators, county detectives, and the district attorney’s office have helped us throughout the investigation of this case,” John Weer, Chester County Department of Emergency Services Chief Fire Marshal said in the release.
“We hope our collaborative work can bring justice to the displaced families and the countless volunteers who risked their lives to put the fire out,” said Weer.
The impact from the massive fire is still being felt.
Just last week, Chester County officials reported that about half the 45 families left homeless by the fire are still seeking a new place to live.
“Twenty of the families that lived in the apartments still need to find a new home, with 10 of these families continuing to be in hotels,” said Pat Bokovitz, director of the Chester County Department of Community Development. “The county has been providing hotel stays for the impacted families since the beginning, to the amount of $50,000, in order that no household finds themselves homeless due to this tragedy.”
Landlords with properties to rent in the Pottstown tri-county area are asked to contact the Housing Authority of Chester County via email at ashwoodapartments@haccnet.org or via phone at 610-235-4484.
The Community Warehouse Project of Chester County has been providing furniture to the impacted families and will continue to do so. Details of the how to make furniture donations can be found at http:// communitywarehouseproject.com/donate/ or by calling 484-473-4360.
Community organizations providing ongoing case management services to the families include Branch Life Church, Open Hearth Inc., Orion Communities, Friends Association, Handicrafters, Home of the Sparrow, Housing Authority of Chester County, North Star and Salvation Army of Pottstown.