A woman who set her apartment building on fire because she thought it was “haunted” was arrested and arraigned Tuesday in Boston.
“The devil made me do it, there are ghosts in my house,” Nikea Rivera, 45, told booking officers after she allegedly set fire to a three-story apartment home, Boston 25 reported. Rivera is charged with setting a two-alarm fire at the property at around 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday while her neighbors were in their apartments.
District Attorney Kevin Hayden claimed that Rivera told police she was compelled to start the fire because the property “is haunted,” the outlet continued. Other reports say that Rivera told neighbors, “I’m sorry, I had to do it,” before walking away from the blaze, according to the New York Post.
Heavy fire is knocked two residents are being evaluated by @BOSTON_EMS . All companies working on hot spots pic.twitter.com/WBM59jKuky
— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) December 27, 2022
Firefighters rescued residents who lived on the second floor, Boston 25 noted. Only one of the residents had to be transported to a local hospital due to concerns about smoke inhalation.
Images and videos of the aftermath were shared on social media, showing fire crews boarding up the property. (RELATED: ‘His Leg Split In The Middle’: Two Injured Jumping From Apartment Fire In New York City)
“It’s fortunate that this woman’s actions did not result in any residents or responders being seriously injured or killed. Her statements are obviously disturbing, and an immediate evaluation is the proper next step,” Hayden said of the crime.
A judge has ordered Rivera to undergo a mental health evaluation, Hayden noted. She will return to court on Jan. 13.