WEST CHESTER, PA — A Chester County jury this week convicted Toni Kirk, a 33-year-old woman from Pottstown, PA, on 21 charges including aggravated assault, causing and risking a catastrophe, recklessly endangering another person, and related offenses. The charges stem from a fire Kirk set at the Ashwood Apartment Complex in North Coventry Township on July 30, 2020.
The blaze resulted in the destruction of the building, with over 100 residents losing their homes, personal belongings, and pets. Numerous individuals sustained injuries, some severe, and the damage was estimated at over $6 million. Kirk’s sentencing will take place at a later date.
Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan expressed her sorrow for the community’s suffering, saying, “This was a devastating incident for the community. The defendant put the lives of over 100 individuals in danger when she recklessly set fire in her apartment.” She also praised the bravery of the first responders, calling them “true heroes.”
On the evening of the fire, North Coventry Township Police Department (Norco PD) and the Norco Fire Department were dispatched to the scene after receiving a 911 call reporting visible fire and smoke from apartment #315, with people trapped inside. Officers found Kirk, the sole occupant of the apartment, uninjured but under the influence of drugs in the parking lot area.
Kirk initially claimed her ex-boyfriend had started the fire, but evidence conclusively proved he was not present at the time of the incident. The fire was ruled incendiary by Chester County Chief Fire Marshal John Weer, who determined the fire originated in the living room of apartment #315, on the bed.
Several residents required hospitalization due to their injuries. Two individuals were seriously injured and rescued by Norco officers and the Fire Chief, who braved the flames and smoke to pull them to safety. One woman spent seven weeks in a coma at Lehigh Valley Hospital due to severe carbon monoxide poisoning.
The incident mobilized over 200 fire and EMS personnel, including 16 fire companies from Chester, Berks, Montgomery, and Delaware counties. Several firefighters were treated for burns, heat exhaustion, and chest pain. In the aftermath of the catastrophe, the Red Cross and numerous other nonprofits provided aid to those displaced and injured.
Investigations were conducted by Norco PD, the Chester County Fire Marshal, Department of Emergency Services, PSP Fire Marshal Unit, and the Chester County Detectives. ADAs Jessica Acito and Kaitlyn Michalek are the assigned prosecutors.
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