20-Year-Old Nakyah Barnes-Nelson Charged With Arson In Mother's Day Apartment Fire In Camden That Left 22 Displaced
CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) -- A 20-year-old woman was charged with arson in a Camden apartment fire that left 22 people displaced on Mother's Day. Police say Nakyah Barnes-Nelson was charged with aggravated arson, arson recklessly placing another in danger of injury in the third-degree, one count of arson recklessly placing a building in danger of destruction in the third degree and false report to law enforcement to implicate another in the second degree.
Firefighters were called to the Myrtle Place Apartments on the 4000 block of Myrtle Avenue around 5 a.m. on Sunday. One of the two-story apartment buildings was fully engulfed in a three-alarm fire when crews arrived.
Twenty-two residents were safely evacuated and displaced from the building once the fire was brought under control.
"This fire displaced more than 20 residents from their homes and created hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage to these apartments," Camden County Police Chief Gabriel Rodriguez said. "I want to thank our detectives who were able to bring this case home and to all of our partners who have worked to solve case, extinguish the fire and find these displaced residents' shelter."
Several families lost everything in the fire and the Red Cross is assisting nine families and about 24 people.
Barnes-Nelson is remanded to the Camden County Jail.
