Horry Co. woman arrested after allegedly setting mattress on fire, damaging 3 apartment units

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) - An Horry County woman is facing arson charges after allegedly setting a mattress on fire that caused damage to three apartment units.

Crews were called out at 5 a.m. to the Pace Village on Whitty Drive in the Myrtle Beach area.

HCFR said units were evacuated as they contained a fire inside a single bedroom. The fire was then put out, and residents were allowed back into the building.

Three apartment units sustained fire, smoke and water damage causing the occupants of those units to be displaced, according to HCFR spokesperson Tony Casey. The exact number of displaced residents was not released.

Horry County police arrested 44-year-old Christina Leonard after interviewing her. She admitted to setting fire to the mattress with a torch-style lighter. according to arrest warrants.

Leonard faces a second-degree arson charge and is being held at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center under a $10,000 bond.

No injuries were reported in the incident.

The Myrtle Beach Fire Department and the City of Conway Fire Department also responded.

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