Woman Sets House On Fire With 7 People Inside After Fight Over Hamburger

A woman allegedly set a house with seven people inside on fire in Memphis, Tennessee, after an argument over a hamburger.

The incident took place at a house on Burr Road in Nutbush after the accused, Pamela Crawley West, 54, had an argument with one of the residents, a wheelchair-bound woman on Nov. 4, according to an affidavit obtained by WMC.

The woman, who did not want to be identified, said she and West had an altercation after the latter bought her a hamburger. West allegedly got angry because the woman didn't have enough money to repay her for the burger, Action News reported Wednesday.

She told cops that West said, "Have fun getting out of the house, (explicative)," before slamming the front door and leaving the house.

Moments later, the occupants saw fire coming from the front porch of the house.

"It's over $2.50, a hamburger. She almost killed these kids over a hamburger," the woman said, as per Fox13Memphis.

In the affidavit, investigators stated a witness saw West placing a plastic bag full of clothes on the porch and setting it on fire using a cigarette lighter before she left the house.

"She got mad, she come on outside and we thought she left, but she didn't leave. She set my whole front porch on fire," the resident, James Cheney said, according to WREG. "She was standing right out here on the corner here watching it and she took off running that way. She said, 'I hope you all burn.' That's what she said."

There were seven people in the house, including three children, at the time of the fire. All seven people, including Cheney and his young grandchildren who were asleep at the time, were able to escape the fire safely.

Police said when they responded to the scene, they could not find West. However, she was eventually arrested and charged with aggravated arson.

The woman was held at Shelby County Jail on a $30,000 bond. "I think she's sorry, no good. She ain't allowed here on my property no more," Cheney added.

The affected family, meanwhile, has found another place to live in till their damaged home is restored.