Woman faces arson charges for Hoquiam house fire

A 24-year-old Hoquiam woman was arrested Monday night after fire and police responded to a house fire on Eklund Avenue.

A 24-year-old Hoquiam woman was arrested Monday night after fire and police responded to a house fire on Eklund Avenue.

At about 6:30 p.m., Hoquiam fire and police personnel were dispatched to a home in the 200 block of Eklund Avenue. When firefighters arrived, they saw light smoke coming from the two-story residence. They found the occupants had already evacuated the house, and the next door neighbor was attempting to protect his home by spraying it down with a garden hose.

Firefighters entered the home and quickly put out the flames, which were concentrated in a downstairs bedroom. The balance of the home appeared to suffer only smoke and minor water damage.

At the scene, officers learned the occupant of the bedroom apparently suffers from mental health issues. Officers and firefighters attempted to talk with the woman to find out how the fire started and where she was when the fire was reported.

The woman did not respond to any questions whatsoever. A detective was brought in to assist in the investigation. The fire department determined there was no likely ignition source for the fire other than human cause. The woman was detained and taken to the Hoquiam Police Department for an interview.

Later in the evening, the woman was transported to Grays Harbor Community Hospital for a mental health evaluation during which it was determined she did not meet the criteria necessary to be detained. She was brought back to the Hoquiam Jail pending transfer to the Grays Harbor County Jail on the felony charge of arson.