(Burlington, Iowa) – A Burlington woman is facing criminal charges for lighting a fire on the porch of house she believed was her friend’s. According to the Burlington Police Department, the incident occurred just after 4:30pm on March 19, 2024. The resident of 2224 Vineyard in Burlington called DESCOM after she received an alert of motion from her security camera. The resident, who was not home at the time, watched video from her security camera as a woman lit a fire on the resident’s porch. The resident said she did not know the woman and had never seen her before.

Officers from the Burlington Police Department and Burlington Fire Department were dispatched to 2224 Vineyard and when they arrived, they found Michelle Young, 46, standing on the porch. Young told officers her friend lived there and admitted to setting a fire on the porch. Young told officers the items she set on fire were miscellaneous items she picked up while walking in the area.

Officers were able to view the video from the security camera and positively identified Young as the person who had started the fire. Michelle Young was arrested and during her arrest, officers discovered Young was in possession of drug paraphernalia. The fire department quickly extinguished the fire and there was minimal damage to the porch.

Young was charged with Reckless Use of Fire, a serious misdemeanor, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a simple misdemeanor.