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Firefighters Rescue Woman From Blaze

By Richard Brenneman
Friday October 13, 2006

After Berkeley firefighters rescued her from her burning home Monday night, a Berkeley woman took out a cigarette lighter and tried to set herself ablaze. 

Deputy Fire Chief David P. Orth said firefighters responded to a 7:37 p.m. call to 1431 67th St., where they arrived to find flames shooting from the second floor windows of the two-story duplex. 

“The resident had set multiple fires throughout the interior of her unit,” said Orth. 

Firefighters rescued the woman from the burning building, and were looking after her on the sidewalk outside “when she tried to set herself on fire,” Orth said. 

The woman, who Orth said was in her 40s, was taken into custody because the fire was determined to be a case of arson. 

The flames did an estimated $70,000 in damage to the structure and destroyed contents valued at $15,000, as well as displacing the residents of the downstairs unit, Orth said. 

“There was no connection to the arson fires in Oakland that same night,” said the deputy chief.