By Tim Binnall
In a bizarre story out of Boston, a woman arrested for setting her home on fire told police that she started the blaze at the behest of the devil because her residence is haunted. The curious case reportedly unfolded on Tuesday morning when a sizeable fire erupted in a three-story apartment building in the neighborhood of Dorchester. Authorities investigating the fire did not have to look too far to find its source as a resident of the building admitted to having been behind the blaze and offered a truly odd reason for her actions.
According to police, Nikea Rivera apologized for setting the fire, but insisted that she "had to do it" because "that house is haunted." She went on to say that "the devil made me do it" as "there are ghosts in my house." Calling her explanation "obviously disturbing," district attorney Kevin Hayden indicated that Rivera was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation after being charged with arson. Fortunately, no was was seriously injured in the incident, though firefighters did have to rescue a pair of residents who were stuck on the second floor.