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Tamisha Walker, 26, was charged Tuesday afternoon with burglary and arson of an inhabited dwelling, according to court records.
When she was arrested Sunday, Walker was on probation for a 2008 driving-under-the-influence conviction and had a second DUI and child endangerment case pending, according to court records.
The fire Walker allegedly set was reported at about 1 a.m. in a four-unit apartment building at 1309 Fillmore St., San Pablo police Lt. Ken Bays said.
Residents told police that they had seen Walker breaking the windows to apartment 3, where she had lived until a week prior, when she was evicted, Bays said.
She eventually kicked in the door and went in, Bays said.
Witnesses also allegedly heard Walker "make some statements that she was going to burn the place down," Bays said.
After Walker left, residents went to check on the apartment and found two separate fires inside the unit.
Balled-up towels were found on the stove next to the burners, which were on high, and a mattress had been set on fire in the back bedroom, Bays said.
One of the residents was able to turn the stove off and partially contain the fire in the kitchen, but the mattress was fully engulfed in flames.
While residents were dealing with the fire, a 12-year-old boy who had gone downstairs with them to check on the apartment ran back upstairs and started banging on people's doors and shouting that there was a fire. Several people had been asleep and were awakened by the boy, Bays said.
A total of 10 residents were safely evacuated from the building and police commended the boy as a hero.
The boy, along with several neighbors, were also able to identify Walker as the alleged arsonist and directed them to her new residence, where police found her hiding in a bedroom closet under some clothes, Bays said.
She allegedly denied any involvement in the fire, Bays said.
She is scheduled to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. in Richmond.
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