North Carolina Woman Charged with Arson of 8 Apartments

A North Carolina woman is charged with starting a fire that destroyed eight apartments.

WXII-TV reported Friday that 30-year-old Shelia Lattimore turned herself in to face charges of first-degree arson and burning personal property.

Authorities said the fire started Tuesday evening on a mattress and spread, displacing 10 adults and 10 children who lived at Countryside Villa apartments.

Investigators said Lattimore was fighting with her boyfriend and set his belongings on fire.

But Lattimore told WXII she was burning paper as she normally does, and the fire got out of control. She said she burns rather than shreds documents.

Authorities said the fire caused $436,000 in damage.

Lattimore was being held in the Forsyth County jail.