Woman Charged In E. Germantown Arson

PHILADELPHIA - There are new developments on an early-morning fire in East Germantown that spread to as many as 12 homes. 

This afternoon, police confirmed to Fox 29 that Monique Riley has been charged with aggravated assault and arson charges.  

Residents and neighbors had been making arson allegation at the scene.

According to the owner of the home where the fire started, this may have stemmed from some type of domestic dispute between the woman's adult son who lived there and his girlfriend, who they allege may have started the fire.  It has not been confirmed if that woman is indeed Ms. Riley.

Flames broke out around 3:30 a.m. on the 2100 block of Furley Street.

Fox 29's Sean Tobin reported from the scene that by the time firefighters arrived at the scene the homes on either side of the one where the blaze broke out were already involved.

Crews got the fire under control around 4:15 a.m.

Fox 29 News has obtained amateur video a neighbor shot when he saw the flames. It shows that the original home was fully engulfed in flames. It appeared to spread along the under-sides of the porches along the rowhomes.

The good news is we're told no one was hurt, but four or five of the homes were said to have heavy fire damage.

Three adults and three kids were inside the home where the fire broke out, and they got out OK, police said.

Neighbors said the girlfriend grabbed a gas can off one porch and threw it on to another before setting the home on fire.

Neighbors went go door-to-door to warn people to get out fast.

The Salvation Army was at the scene to assist some of the residents, and the American Red Cross said it was also responding to assist an estimated 10 people.