Woman Allegedly Starts Fire After Being Denied Entry, Killing Man and 3 Dogs in Dallas: Police
A Texas woman was arrested after allegedly confessing to setting fire to a residence, killing a man and his three dogs as the blaze spread throughout a mobile home park, according to officials.
Officials have identified the arson suspect as Mirsa Lopez, 38, according to a Dallas Fire-Rescue Department statement shared with PEOPLE on Wednesday, October 16. According to jail documents, Lopez was charged with arson with the intent to damage habitat. It is unclear whether she has entered a plea or hired an attorney to speak on her behalf.
According to the statement, firefighters responded to a fire call at a mobile home park in Northwest Dallas around 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 12. They reported seeing flames coming from the back of one of the homes and two automobiles.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit acquired by Fox 4 Dallas, Lopez is suspected of causing a fire at the home of one of the residents with whom she was romantically involved. According to the affidavit, Lopez stated she was unhappy because he refused to let her in to use the bathroom.
Authorities identified the homeowner as Gary Fischer, who stated that after denying Lopez admission into his home, he heard a loud bang and rushed outside to see a fire, according to NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth.
“I saw fire coming through the top of the window and smoke filling the room quickly,” Fischer told NBC 5. “I mean, I could hardly breathe.”
Witnesses also saw Lopez sitting in a chair outside the blazing mobile home, according to Fox 4, citing an affidavit.
According to fire officials, the flames were so fierce that they triggered a second-alarm reaction, with extra units dispatched to the location. According to the agency, the fire caused damage to at least four mobile homes and four automobiles.
The Dallas Fire-Rescue Department also reported that a guy was found lifeless inside one of the homes. He was treated on the spot and sent to a hospital, where he was subsequently pronounced dead. Three dogs perished as a result of the fire.
Firefighters worked for more than two hours to put out the fire, which was declared extinguished at 8:40 a.m., according to a statement. Officials stated the American Red Cross had been asked to help at least 11 people.
According to the affidavit, which was also acquired by WFAA, Lopez allegedly told investigators that she caused the fire by lighting a plastic bag with a lighter. She also claimed in the document that she did not attempt to extinguish the fire, according to the publication.
Fischer told NBC5 that the fire destroyed his home, but the loss of his two dogs devastated him the most.
“They weren’t there at the door,” he told the channel. “I expected both of them to be right there.”
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