Arson fire in Northwest Indiana kills 87-year-old woman
- The fire occurred at 12:10 a.m. on Tuesday in a ground-floor unit of the Swanson Court Apartments in Portage, Indiana.
- Maria Leal, the 87-year-old victim, was found in the unit and later died from her injuries after being taken to the hospital.
- A suspect is in custody, and evidence suggests the fire was intentionally set, leading to ongoing investigations.
A tragic incident occurred in Portage, Indiana, where an 87-year-old woman named Maria Leal lost her life in an arson fire. The fire broke out at approximately 12:10 a.m. on Tuesday in a ground-floor unit of the Swanson Court Apartments. Emergency services responded promptly, evacuating residents from both the affected building and an adjacent one. Firefighters managed to extinguish the flames and rescued another resident trapped on a second-floor balcony. After the fire was extinguished, authorities discovered Maria Leal in the unit where the fire originated. Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, she succumbed to her injuries. The victim's daughter reported to police that her boyfriend had made threats to burn down the apartment earlier that evening during a dispute. This information raised suspicions about the cause of the fire. A K-9 unit from the Crown Point Fire Department detected the presence of an accelerant at the scene, further indicating that the fire was intentionally set. Following the incident, police identified and apprehended a suspect around 1:30 a.m. based on a description of his vehicle. He was taken into custody at the Portage Park police station. While the suspect is being held on unrelated charges, he has not yet been formally charged in connection with the fire that resulted in the tragic death of Maria Leal. The investigation continues as authorities gather more evidence regarding the circumstances surrounding this devastating event.