A woman allegedly caused a fire in a Milwaukee housing complex, endangering elderly residents who were seen hanging from windows trying to escape. Laquita Spears, a 48-year-old resident of the building, reportedly set the fire after a dispute with her father. Witnesses described her as speaking to herself frequently in the weeks leading up to the incident.

Authorities claim that Spears used charcoal fluid and a Bic lighter to start the fire in her father’s apartment while he was inside. She allegedly shouted profanities at him before fleeing the scene, leaving him at risk. The fire quickly spread to other units in the complex, forcing residents to evacuate on their own as the building lacked a fire sprinkler system.

The father, referred to as “CT” in official documents, recounted how Spears set his coat and couch on fire, leading to a chain reaction that caused significant damage and injuries among the elderly and disabled residents. Some individuals had to hang out of windows to escape the smoke and flames.

Spears, who has a history of arson offenses, has been charged with arson and reckless endangerment. She confessed to using charcoal fluid on clothing in the apartment and igniting it in multiple locations. Despite her actions, Spears claimed she did not intend to harm anyone and did not anticipate the fire spreading as it did.