Woman allegedly caught on her own surveillance camera setting neighbor's home on fire
DEL CITY, Okla. - An Oklahoma woman was allegedly captured on her own surveillance camera setting fire to her neighbor's home in an apparent feud, authorities said.
Annie Durham, 59, was arrested Monday on second-degree arson charges, the Del City Fire Department said.
Emergency crews were initially called around 2:45 p.m. on June 10 to a house fire "with significant fire coming from the garage portion of the house," authorities said. Firefighters searched the structure, which was condemned, and also found 8 feet of water in the basement from a previous water pipe rupture.
No injuries were reported.
While questioning witnesses, fire investigators discovered that there was an ongoing "conflict" between neighbors, including the home that went up in flames, the Del City Fire Department said.
Authorities spotted a surveillance system on a nearby home, belonging to Durham, and investigators asked if they could view the footage. Durham allowed them to, and fire officials discovered that she had intentionally set the fire, the Del City Fire Department said.
Durham was arrested without incident and booked at the Del City Police Department.
On the day of the fire, Durham apparently spoke to news cameras at the scene.
"All I know is I was in the house, and I saw smoke but I was like, 'okay, maybe everything is okay. They will put it out or whatever,'" Durham appears to tell KFOR-TV on camera.
Durham told the station she has lived in her home for 30 years and claimed the house was a problem.
"There has been drug addicts living there, running in and out," she appears to tell KFOR on the day of the fire. "This is the only drug house I know that has ever been."
Fire officials said the second-degree arson charges against Durham will be presented to the Oklahoma County District Attorney's Office.
"Regardless of the extent of a conflict, arson is never a solution to resolve a conflict. The senseless actions of this person placed the lives of innocent neighbors and responding firefighters at a serious risk," Del City Fire Chief Brandon Pursell stated.
This story was reported from Los Angeles.