PROVO, Utah (ABC 4 News) - A woman was arrested early Tuesday morning in connection with a devastating fire that claimed the lives of two people Monday night in Provo.
Provo Police confirmed that Yvette Kimber was booked into the Utah County Jail shortly after 2:00 a.m. She is being held on two counts of manslaughter and one count of aggravated arson.
Flames broke out at the Boulders Apartments around 9:00 p.m. Monday night.
During the early stages of the fire before emergency crews could reach the burning building, officials say a woman jumped from a second story apartment to avoid the quick-moving blaze. She was transported to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center and later flown to University Hospital Burn Center in Salt Lake City.
Another woman also jumped from the second floor and was taken to a local hospital. She was treated and later released.
Provo Fire crews continued to work on extinguishing the fire, and a short time later, the bodies of two women were discovered.
Karen Murray was found in apartment #158 and Catherine Crane was found in apartment #159. After the fire was controlled and extinguished, officials say an investigation into the cause of the fire began.
Investigators from Provo Police, Provo Fire and members from the Utah State Fire Marshals office were working together to determine the exact cause of the fire.
Provo Police later detained and arrested Yvette Kimber, who they say may have been involved with the start of the fire.
According to a police affidavit, someone called police, requesting a welfare check on Kimber because they said she was suicidal and upset over an argument with a boyfriend. Police say the caller informed them that Kimber had threatened to overdose on medication.
According to the police statement, Kimber called 911 a short time later, saying her apartment was on fire. When officers arrived to investigate, they found the apartment building on fire and called for assistance.
Four Stations from Provo and two Stations from Orem responded to the incident. No other injuries were reported.
Four apartments were damaged in the blaze. Firefighters say the building did not have sprinklers because they were not required when it was built.
This is the second deadly fire at the Boulder Apartments in just over two years. A five-alarm fire at another building killed one woman in January 2009.
Kimber was booked into the Utah County Jail on two counts of manslaughter and one case of arson.
According to police, Kimber said she had been drinking beer and taking medication, along with smoking marijuana, and that she had fallen asleep.
Police say when investigators asked Kimber if she intentionally set the fire in a suicide attempt, she replied that she did not know.
