Woman Accused of Setting Iowa City Home on Fire

By Hayley Bruce, Reporter

61 year old Rebecca Rosenbaum accused of setting home on fire on Sunday July 22 on the 1000 block of Howell Street in Iowa City.

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By Belinda Yeung

Story Created: Jul 23, 2012 at 9:13 AM CDT

Story Updated: Jul 23, 2012 at 9:54 AM CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- An Iowa City woman is accused of first-degree arson after police say she admitted to starting a fire in the bedroom of her home during an argument with her husband.

According to a complaint from Iowa City police, 61-year-old Rebecca Rosenbaum was in an argument with her husband when she eventually lied down on her bed and started four small fires on the bed next to her, which her husband extinguished with water.

Police said she then started another fire on the bed that quickly spread to the rest of the bedroom, clothes and a lampshade caught on fire at their home on the 1000 block of Howell St.

Rosenbaum received minor burns to her hand and clothing and eventually called 911 when the fire got too large, the complaint said. Police said she admitted to a paramedic and investigators that she started the fire and her husband was on or near the property during the incident.

Firefighters extinguished the fire upon their arrival shortly after 10 a.m. Sunday morning. Officials said Sunday that the fire caused approximately $5,000 in damage to the structure and contents. Three fire engines, one ladder truck, and the Battalion Chief responded to the fire, and remained on scene for two hours.