A woman living with her ex-boyfriend has been charged with setting his apartment on fire, sparking a blaze that caused $300,000 in damages and sent four firefighters to the hospital, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

Prosecutors recommended that TINA FARULLA (D.O.B. 9/14/87) be held on $50,000 cash bail at her East Boston District Court arraignment yesterday on arson charges stemming from the Oct. 8 conflagration at 165 Coleridge St. Judge Roberto Ronquillo, Jr., set bail at $5,000.

Responding Boston Police were alerted to a possible suspect described as a white female with red hair and a black tank top. Officers spotted such a woman across the street from the fire and soon identified her as the defendant. When asked what had happened, she allegedly said she didn’t know.
Two neighborhood residents gave statements to the officers and said they’d been speaking with Farulla’s ex-boyfriend, a resident of the building, just before the fire broke out. As they stood on the front steps, the witnesses said, they saw Farulla throwing bottles and other items out his window. Seconds later, they saw smoke and flames from the same window.

“Oh my God,” the resident said, “she’s burning my house down!”

A short time later, the witnesses saw Farulla leaving the building with several bags. They informed police of her description and location. Based on their observations and witness statements, police took Farulla into custody.

Further investigation by the Boston Police and Boston Fire Department’s Fire Investigation Unit revealed that there were no heat sources near the fire’s point of origin, and experts believe the fire was intentionally set using an open flame.

Farulla was represented by attorney Janet Macnab. She will return to court on Nov. 17.