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Employee accused of starting fire at Allen Parish retirement home

Posted at 4:01 PM, Mar 26, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-26 17:01:40-04

ALLEN PARISH – An Oberlin woman has been arrested, accused of starting a fire at the retirement home where she was employed.

State Fire Marshal deputies say that 41-year-old Nakisha Walker was booked into the Allen Parish Jail on Monday, March 25, on one count each of Aggravated Arson and Resisting an Officer.

Nakisha Walker

Investigators say the fire occurred in the early morning Thursday, March 21 at the Kinder Retirement and Rehab Center, located on Highway 165 North.

Upon arrival, firefighters say they discovered the fire had been extinguished by an employee and was contained to one room in the building. About 30 residents in the affected hall had been evacuated without injury.

There were more than 70 occupants in the facility at the time of the fire.

SFM investigators determined after an investigation that the fire was intentionally set.  Officials say that through follow-up investigative efforts, including determining the whereabouts of all occupants at the time of the fire, Walker was identified as a suspect in the case.