A 54-year-old Greensburg woman accused by neighbors of setting fire to a mattress just outside a three-unit apartment house late Sunday was charged by city police with arson and reckless endangerment.
Gina M. Albertelli also is charged with dangerous burning, disorderly conduct, reckless burning and possessing incendiary materials after the 10 p.m. blaze just outside of the apartment building at 315 West Otterman St., according to court documents.
Police Lt. Jason Gains reported that “there is approximately 16 feet of space not including the wooden staircase” leading to Albertelli’s rear apartment where the fire was set. City fire and police quickly extinguished the blaze, Gains said.
Gains reported area residents who reported the fire said they noticed the mattress sitting outside of Albertelli’s apartment “a few days before the fire.”
According to Gains, one neighbor was looking out her window when she noticed “(Albertelli) with what appeared to be a lighter, bend down and hold it to the mattress until it began to burn.”
The witness said Albertelli then returned to her porch and smoked a cigarette as she watched the fire.
Gains said police seized a can of lighter fluid and two cigarette lighters on a staircase leading to Albertelli’s apartment. He said in court documents she also had “a bucket containing a small amount of water sitting on the porch.”
When city police arrived, Gains reported Albertelli admitted setting the mattress on fire “because it was infested with bed bugs.”
Patrolman Brad Grabiak initially used an fire extinguisher from his patrol car on the blaze.
Albertelli could not be reached for comment and did not have an attorney listed in court documents.
