Mother accused of igniting blaze that ravaged West Caldwell home

A 47-year-old West Caldwell woman was arrested on arson charges Monday, the day after her family's house burned down, prosecutors said yesterday.

Authorities believe Elizabeth Zartin used a match to ignite a mattress in an upstairs bedroom of her two-story home on Mountain Avenue, said Essex County Prosecutor's Office spokesman Paul Loriquet. Authorities would not speculate on why Zartin might have set the bed on fire, but said the matter is under investigation.

She, her husband and their 16-year-old son got out of the house safely before firefighters arrived Sunday about 6:30 p.m., said West Caldwell Fire Chief Charles Holden.

But a firefighter who was helping break open a window on the first floor to ventilate the house suffered a minor injury when an air conditioner window unit fell, hitting his helmet and then his shoulder, the chief said.

"He's got some soreness," Holden said. "He went to the hospital for precautionary X-rays."

Firefighters from four nearby towns -- Caldwell, North Caldwell, Verona and Essex Fells -- helped put out the fire. They got it under control in about 2½ hours, Holden said. Fairfield firefighters covered West Caldwell's station in the meantime.

The single-family home, which is about 1,000 square feet, was destroyed by the fire, the chief said.

Zartin was arrested Monday after investigators from the Essex County prosecutor's arson task force determined the fire was intentionally set.

She has been charged with second-degree aggravated arson, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and third-degree aggravated assault on responding emergency personnel.

Yesterday, she was being held in the Essex County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail.

Zartin could face 10 years in prison if convicted.

Nic Corbett is a reporter with the New Jersey Local News Service. She may be reached at (908) 243-6216 or ncorbett@njlns.com.