3 arrested in revenge arson that killed Jerusalem woman

Victim’s neighbor and two Palestinian accomplices in custody

By DANIEL K. EISENBUD
3 arrested in revenge arson that killed Jerusalem woman (photo credit: COURTESY OF JERUSALEM FIRE DEPARTMENT)
3 arrested in revenge arson that killed Jerusalem woman
(photo credit: COURTESY OF JERUSALEM FIRE DEPARTMENT)
A fire in a Pisgat Ze’ev apartment that killed a young woman over a week ago was the result of arson by a disgruntled resident in her building who attempted to take revenge on a different tenant, the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court revealed Monday after a gag order on the case was lifted.
According to the court’s report, Orit London, 24, died in her Pisgat Ze’ev home of smoke inhalation after her unidentified neighbor and two Palestinian accomplices set the apartment below on fire following a dispute with tenants.
Two of the three suspects broke into the empty apartment, looted its belongings, and then set a bed on fire, which spread out of control, resulting in copious amounts of smoke entering London’s home and suffocating her.
“The suspects planned to set the apartment on fire, and they verified during the course of the evening and night that the apartment was empty,” court records stated. “They arrived at the home using the vehicle of one of the suspects. One of the suspects waited in his vehicle while the other two went up to the apartment, broke down the door, set it on fire, stole clothes and perfume and then fled.”
The targeted apartment was destroyed, police said, and London was found unresponsive in her bathroom after smoke engulfed her poorly ventilated apartment. She died of smoke inhalation several days later.
Police arrested the neighbor the same day, and the two accomplices shortly thereafter.
While the suspects do not deny starting the fire, they claim that they did not intend to kill anyone.
All three are being charged for the fire that led to London’s death and a judge ordered they remain in custody during a hearing on Monday.