Just before 6 a.m. Sunday, police arrested Keith Payne on the 2600 block of Dickinson Street for his alleged role in starting the blaze on the 2600 block of Manton Street, authorities said. The 29-year-old reportedly punched his girlfriend, also the mother of his 3-week-old child, in the face at 2:30 a.m., with the motive unknown.
She retreated to the second story, waking Payne’s mother when she screamed on account of noticing smoke. The older woman said she saw her son applying lighter fluid to the kitchen and called for help, with police and fire personnel arriving at 2:45 a.m. to find the entire first floor engulfed in flames
The women received treatment for smoke inhalation, with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia treating the baby for non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities charged Payne with attempted murder, aggravated and simple assault, arson, possession of an instrument of crime, recklessly endangering another person, and false imprisonment. He had had a status hearing yesterday.
