Woman Charged with Arson, Fraud For Allegedly Setting Edgewood Apartment Fire

From the Office of the State Fire Marshal:

HARFORD COUNTY, MD (December 11, 2013) – An extended investigation involving a profit for loss fire from May 30, 2012 was closed by arrest today. Investigators with the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATFE) determined Loretta Joyce Cunningham (49) was responsible for the 4:03 a.m. one alarm fire in Woodbridge Commons at 1325 Gold Meadow Way.

Cunningham turned herself in at the Maryland State Police Barrack in Bel Air without incident. She has been charged with: 1st Degree Arson, False/Misleading Info Fraud, 1st Degree Malicious Burning, Malicious Burning/Fraud, Reckless Endangerment, False Statement to Officer and Malicious Destruction of Property. She was transported to the Harford County Detention Center where she remains on a $100,000 secured bond.

Approximately ten firefighters from Joppa-Magnolia, Aberdeen Proving Grounds and Abingdon Fire Departments placed the incident under control within 15 minutes after arrival. The residential fire sprinkler system activated and contained the blaze to the apartment of origin. Investigators located multiple locations of set fires inside the second floor apartment occupied by Cunningham. The resulting damage estimate from the incident is $10,000.