Smoking Ashes That Caused Lima Apartment Fire Could Have Been Dope

LIMA – The fire that damaged the porch at the Livingston Apartments on Sunday was determined to have been caused by discarded smoking residue, which could have been a cigarette or smoldering ashes from a marijuana pipe from a second story window.

According to a press release from Livingston County Sheriff Thomas Dougherty, Susanne Henzel, 42, was arrested for misdemeanor Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree and Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree for allegedly discarding of smoking ashes by the porch.

The damage was contained to the front porch area.

One resident was transported to the hospital by an Avon Ambulance.

The investigation alleges that Henzel was smoking on the porch at her friend’s apartment in the Livingston Complex and disposed of the burning ashes outside on the porch.

Henzel said that she was smoking a cigarette and crumpled it up in her hand on the outside porch.

However the friend, Kathleen Coyle, 68, said that Henzel had been smoking marijuana.

Coyle, was charged with a violation of Unlawful Possession of Marijuana when marijuana smoking pipes were found in her apartment.

Both she and Henzel will appear in Lima Town Court at a later date.

Sheriff’s Deputy Matthew Moran handled the investigation and arrests. The Sheriff’s Office partnered with the Livingston County Fire Coordinators for the investigation.

Firefighters with Lima and East Avon Fire Departments responded to the scene along with the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office.