A Parkville woman is being accused of inadvertently causing a fire when she fell asleep with a lit cigarette.
The Platte County Prosecutor’s Office charged Madison Elizalde, 27, of Parkville, with a class B misdemeanor of reckless burning and trespassing in the first degree.
At about 7:39 on Sunday, Oct. 20, police received a 9-1-1 call regarding a possible fire at The Links Apartments located a 11206 NW Lema Drive in Parkville. When authorities arrived on the scene, they were able to locate the source of the fire contained in a basement area.
According to court documents, police found Madison Elizalde under blankets and pillows in the basement level. Nearby, a spool of wire was smoldering, causing a heavily cloud of smoke throughout the entire Parkville apartment complex.
Although it appears the fire was limited to the spool of wire inside the basement, authorities say it could have been much worst.
“If the fire was not put out, she could have possibly caused an entire apartment complex to burn, possibly causing severe injury or death to the occupants,” states the probable cause statement.
Police say Elizalde fell asleep or passed out while smoking a Camel Menthol cigarette. The manager at The Links allegedly told authorities that Elizalde was neither a resident nor visitor at the time of the fire.
Inside the basement, police recovered a prescription pill bottle and pack of Camels belonging to Elizalde, states court documents.
Elizalde is scheduled to appear before Circuit Court Judge Dennis Eckold later this month.