A York County woman is charged with arson following a house fire in Spring Garden Township on New Year’s Day.Police say Kathryn Frankel is accused of starting a fire using a heat gun in a home on Ogontz Street. They also say she has a previous arson arrest out of Chester County from 2024, also with a heat gun.Details of the arsonPolice said Frankel was living in the basement of the home on Ogontz Street when the fire started just after midnight on Jan. 1.The fire department was dispatched for a reported basement fire, and upon arrival, they saw people trapped inside. Several residents had to be rescued, with some jumping from the second floor, and one person was hospitalized for smoke inhalation.A firefighter was also hurt.According to charging documents, witnesses told officers Frankel was acting suspiciously before the fire and tried to stop others from going into the basement.Police say they found a pile of burning clothes and blankets on the floor, as well as seven burned aerosol cans and a can of lighter fluid.Frankel admitted to being in the basement and using a heat gun in the area shortly before the fire started, according to the charging documents. Kathryn Frankel is charged with arson and recklessly endangering another person.Greater York Professional Fire Fighters Union PresidentThe Greater York Professional Fire Fighters Union President says firefighters made rescuing the people inside a priority when faced with short staffing and a fast-burning fire on New Year’s Day.”In the department, five out of the six pieces of apparatus only have two people on it. So, they did not have enough personnel to engage in victim rescue and fire suppression. Victim rescue is always the priority. They made the right choice to go for the visible victims that they had. But when you don’t have enough personnel to engage in fire suppression, that allows the fire to grow, which makes it difficult,” said Kris Shearer.
YORK, Pa. —
A York County woman is charged with arson following a house fire in Spring Garden Township on New Year’s Day.
Police say Kathryn Frankel is accused of starting a fire using a heat gun in a home on Ogontz Street. They also say she has a previous arson arrest out of Chester County from 2024, also with a heat gun.
Details of the arson
Police said Frankel was living in the basement of the home on Ogontz Street when the fire started just after midnight on Jan. 1.
The fire department was dispatched for a reported basement fire, and upon arrival, they saw people trapped inside. Several residents had to be rescued, with some jumping from the second floor, and one person was hospitalized for smoke inhalation.
A firefighter was also hurt.
According to charging documents, witnesses told officers Frankel was acting suspiciously before the fire and tried to stop others from going into the basement.
Police say they found a pile of burning clothes and blankets on the floor, as well as seven burned aerosol cans and a can of lighter fluid.
Frankel admitted to being in the basement and using a heat gun in the area shortly before the fire started, according to the charging documents. Kathryn Frankel is charged with arson and recklessly endangering another person.
Greater York Professional Fire Fighters Union President
The Greater York Professional Fire Fighters Union President says firefighters made rescuing the people inside a priority when faced with short staffing and a fast-burning fire on New Year’s Day.
“In the department, five out of the six pieces of apparatus only have two people on it. So, they did not have enough personnel to engage in victim rescue and fire suppression. Victim rescue is always the priority. They made the right choice to go for the visible victims that they had. But when you don’t have enough personnel to engage in fire suppression, that allows the fire to grow, which makes it difficult,” said Kris Shearer.
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