Anyone with information on a suspicious person or unusual activity around the time of the fire is asked to call St. Pete PD at 727-893-7780.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Pete police have determined that the house fire that killed an 18-year-old woman was arson.
The St. Petersburg Police Department first responded to the fire before 3:30 a.m. Sunday at a home on Neptune Drive SE, where four people were inside.
While crews were able to pull them out of the home, 18-year-old Angelina Anderson died from her injuries. A 35-year-old woman is still hospitalized in critical condition but is said to be stable. Two minors, a teenager and a child, were treated for smoke inhalation and later released.
SPPD called the fire “suspicious” on Monday before announcing on Tuesday that it was arson.
Prior to confirmation, an arson dog was brought in, which Deputy Fire Chief Brett Ciskoski noted is standard procedure as investigators work to determine what sparked the blaze.
Anyone with information on a suspicious person or unusual activity around the time of the start of the fire is asked to call St. Pete PD at 727-893-7780. Detectives are also interested in any video recordings or other information the public may have.