Kirk Preston Watson - Mayor of Austin, Texas | Facebook
Kirk Preston Watson - Mayor of Austin, Texas | Facebook
The Austin Fire Department (AFD) responded to a call regarding a midrise fire at the Ascension Seton Shoal Creek Medical Center on Sunday, July 21, 2024. The call was received at approximately 5:44 a.m., and the first fire crew arrived on scene at 5:52 a.m., discovering remnants of an extinguished fire inside one of the patient rooms.
Investigators processed the scene and conducted interviews. A witness described seeing Carmel Norris set a bed and pillow on fire using a lighter she had smuggled into the facility. After being provided with a Miranda Warning, Ms. Norris confessed to starting the fire during an interview with AFD arson investigators.
Ms. Norris was subsequently arrested on July 21, 2024, and booked into Travis County Jail. She faces charges of arson, classified as a first-degree felony.
One employee suffered smoke inhalation due to the incident. The estimated damage includes $50,000 to the facility and $1,000 to property inside the room.
Alerts Sign-up