Woman in custody for GR house fire

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - A woman is in custody after allegedly using lighter fluid to set a house on fire on the southeast side of Grand Rapids early Friday morning.

According to court records, Ashley Harris is in custody after being charged with arson of a dwelling.

Records show Harris may have a history of mental health problems and had previously been ordered to undergo a psychiatric exam to determine if she was competent enough to stand trial in another Kent County case.

None of the eight people in the Charity Recovery House, 1605-1607 Francis SE, were hurt, but all will have to move because of the fire.

"She took the lighter fluid, squeezed it on the house and lit it on fire, trying to light herself, too," said Ralph Dunlap, who runs the house. "Fire went straight up and through the attic."

Dunlap said Harris also cut a garden hose so residents couldn't use it to stop the fire.

The Charity Recovery House has been here for nine years, he said, and takes in homeless people with addiction problems. He said they try to find jobs for residents and sell flowers on street corners to raise money for food and other expenses.

Dunlap said Harris was visiting her boyfriend at the house and became angry for some reason. Smoke detectors alerted the residents.

Personal possessions were stacked outside the Charity Recovery House waiting to be put into storage. The Red Cross reportedly is sheltering those people displaced by this fire.

By the time fire investigators arrived at the scene, police already had Harris in custody.