DORCHESTER, MASS. (WHDH) - A woman is facing arson charges after allegedly starting a fire at her apartment in Dorchester.
Nikia Rivera, 45, told booking officers “the devil made me do it, there are ghosts in my house,” after they caught up with the resident, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
Rivera was charged after police and firefighters responded to Mora Street around 11:20 a.m. on Tuesday, where several people were rescued as flames ripped through a triple-decker there.
According to the DA’s office, while responding, a witness informed police that Rivera told him “I’m sorry, I had to do it,” before leaving the scene on foot.
Police later made contact with the resident, who allegedly said “I had to do it. That house is haunted. I lit the house on fire.”
Rivera was later charged in Dorchester District Court and ordered by a judge to undergo evaluation at a facility in Worcester.
“It’s fortunate that this woman’s actions did not result in any residents or responders being seriously injured or killed,” District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in a press release. “Her statements are obviously disturbing and an immediate evaluation is the proper next step.”
Two people were rescued during the fire, with at least one person needing medical attention, according to firefighters.
Construction crews were still at the building late Tuesday night, boarding up the structure after Boston firefighters spent hours monitoring it for hot spots.
One resident, Charlene Wilkins, said she rushed out of her unit when she noticed the building was on fire. She said she was scared for her life and as of Tuesday afternoon, was looking for her cat.
“Everything was in there, I was just going to move,” she said.
Another resident, Christophe Vilsaint, who lives on the second floor, said he was at work when he learned his home for the last 12 years had caught fire. He said he had also seen the suspect a few times at the building, but had kept his distance.
“I never talk to that lady,” Vilsaint said. “I always stay away from that lady.”
Several residents said they will be staying at hotels in the days ahead, but that they were not sure what would happen afterwards.
The DA’s office said Rivera is due back in court on Jan. 13, 2023.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)