Homeless Woman Charged in Las Vegas Hospital Arson

LAS VEGAS --

A homeless woman has been charged with starting a fire that shut down Valley Hospital’s emergency room for several hours on Wednesday morning, according to Las Vegas fire investigators.

Kathy Priest-Ritner, 43, was taken to the hospital by ambulance for an unspecified medical complaint and was seen playing with a cigarette lighter in the emergency room, officials said.

Ritner, according to investigators, then went into a bathroom and set fire to a plastic garbage container. At least six people were examined for smoke inhalation as hospital staff put the flames out with fire extinguishers.

Damage was estimated at $5,000.

Ritner was arrested a short time later at the emergency department inside University Medical Center.

She is charged with arson and six counts of attempted murder.

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