Woman charged with arson in destructive apartment fire that displaced families

ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News has learned that a destructive apartment fire was set on purpose, according to officials.

Investigators confirmed to Channel 2's Alyssa Hyman that Octavia Carter, 27, has been charged with arson in connection with a fire that tore through an apartment complex on Newtown Circle in southeast Atlanta on Thursday morning.

Neighbor Willie Dooley told Hyman that she was home when the fire broke out.

"It woke me up. At first, I thought somebody was shooting, like I heard a gunshot. But when I got up and opened the door, I seen the flames and everything,” Dooley said.

Dooley said she knows the suspect, telling Hyman she saw Carter just hours before the fire.

"I talked to her this morning," Dooley said.

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It's still unclear what led up to the fire, but fire officials said everyone made it out safely.

Several neighbors lost everything in their apartments.

"Right now, most of them is at a motel. Some of them didn't even get their stuff out of the apartment yet," Dooley said.

A spokesperson with the apartment complex told Hyman seven families total were displaced.

However, about four of them should be able to move back in during the coming days once water and electricity are turned back on.

The spokesperson said the complex is working to try and find other apartments for the families who were permanently displaced.

Cox Media Group