LIVE OAK, Texas – A woman is in custody and charged with arson after allegedly starting a fire at an apartment complex in Live Oak, resulting in an explosion.
The explosion not only caught the tenants off-guard, it also caused thousands of dollars in property damage.
Residents living in the Meadows Apartments complex, who asked not to be identified, describe the fire as being like a scene out of a movie.
“The fire just twirls and then blows out. That is how it felt,” one resident said.
Live Oak police said Cassandra Maria Orcutt set her apartment on fire Feb. 28. Neighbors living below and next door to her unit experienced the fire firsthand.
“She walked three times. She walked up and she walked down. The third time we noticed she had a gas can,” another resident said.
Before neighbors could catch on, it was too late. An arrest affidavit said Orcutt ran from the apartment, and when management tried to speak with her, she threatened them.
Residents who live near the apartment said even though they’re safe in new units now, they’re still having nightmares about the explosion.
“I don't care what kind of day you are having. We all go through things in life, but why would you put everyone else in jeopardy? Our families could have been having our funerals,” a neighbor said.