Gloucester Township Woman Set Man's House On Fire: Police

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — A Gloucester Township woman has been arrested and charged with arson in connection with a house fire that broke out in Woodbury earlier this month, according to police.

Taija Russell has been charged with attempted homicide, aggravated arson, aggravated assault, endangering/creating substantial risk of death and criminal mischief in connection with a house fire in Woodbury that broke out on Aug. 4, according to police.

She was arrested in Gloucester Township by members of the Woodbury Police Department, with the assistance of the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office Fugitive Unit and US Marshals Task Force — Camden Division, on Aug. 13, police said.

Woodbury police were dispatched to 217 South Barber Avenue for a report of a dwelling fire on Aug. 4. The Woodbury Fire Department, along with other nearby fire agencies, arrived at the scene and were able to extinguish the blaze.

A man was taken to Inspira Hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation and burns. The fire department also rescued a dog from the fire, and both human and dog were recovering well, police said this week.

After the fire was extinguished, police determined that it was a case of arson and a crime scene was established, police said. After speaking with witnesses and reviewing several hours’ worth of surveillance video from the area, Russell was identified as the suspect.

She started the fire after the man called her to his house for sex and never answered the door, nj.com reports. He told police that he fell asleep before she arrived, and when he woke up, his house was on fire. He escaped the house and arrived at the police department in just a t-shirt and covered in soot. He had missed eight phone calls and a series of text messages from Russell.

Russell was charged on Aug. 5, eight days before she was arrested, police said. She was transported back to the Woodbury Police Department where she was processed for the charges and eventually lodged in the Salem County Jail.

Anyone with any additional information about this incident is asked to contact Detective Corporal Alex Phillips of the Woodbury Police Department at 856-845-0065, ext. 130.