OTTUMWA, Iowa — The Ottumwa Police Department says an Ottumwa has been charged after allegedly setting fire to his mother's house.
67-year-old George Edward Dennison was arrested and charged Tuesday with the following crimes:
- Arson in the First Degree
- Animal Abuse (two counts)
The arrest comes a week after police and fire personnel responded to reports of a house fire on Wabash Street at around 2:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 21. A woman reported being trapped inside the burning house.
When first responders arrived, they broke a window and pulled 84-year-old Patricia Bird, a resident of the home, out of the fire. Bird was taken to a local hospital where she was treated for her injuries and later released.
Two pet dogs died in the fire.
Ottumwa police say Dennison is Bird's son and was living with Bird at the time of the fire.
Local 5 will update this story as more information becomes available. Download the We Are Iowa app or subscribe to Local 5's "5 Things to Know" email newsletter for the latest.