NEW SHARON – A woman who had to be held back from rushing into her burning house Friday to get her cat, has been charged with arson.
Christine Bissonnette, 41, of 51 Smith Road was charged Saturday after state fire investigators and a dog spent until midnight Friday going over the scene and then conducted interviews Saturday at the Farmington Police Station, Sgt. Joel Davis said Monday.
The fire had an intentional human element and multiple points of origin on three different levels in the house, Davis said.
Bissonnette is in the hospital for an evaluation, Davis said.
Bissonnette lived at the home with her husband, George Bissonnette, and five children.
No one was home at the time the fire started, but the couple’s oldest son, Christopher Bissonnette, 19, had stopped at the house early Friday afternoon and discovered the fire and reported it.
Christopher Bissonnette said Friday at the scene that he usually doesn’t stop at home during the day but just happened to do so that day.
He opened the door to the house and was hit by a wall of fire.
Christine Bissonnette, who was said to be at the veterinarian’s with two of the family’s three animals Friday, arrived home while firefighters were fighting the blaze.
It took several people to hold the screaming and crying woman back from trying to get into her home to get her cat, Fluffy, who died in the fire.
No one else in the family knew the fire had been intentionally set, Davis said.
“They had no idea. Right now they need the support. They’re devastated,” Davis said.
Bissonnette is scheduled to appear in Franklin County Superior Court on Friday, April 28.
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