Authorities on Sunday charged a Philadelphia man accused of throwing a cup of gasoline on his girlfriend while she was smoking, starting a fire that killed her after a dispute between the two. 46-year-old Kevin Small of the 2600 block of Southampton Road in Philadelphia is in police custody.
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According to an affidavit of probable cause, authorities discovered Bacon-Smith lying facedown on the floor of a first-floor motel room after the fire — which was first reported at 2:19 a.m. — was extinguished.
Small was later found walking around elsewhere.
Small, who has a criminal history of drugs and theft, appeared at his arraignment on Sunday afternoon in shackles, with his hands in bandages after they were burned in the incident.
Kevin Small, 46, also said that he “hurt someone he loved” and answered “Oh yeah, definitely”, when asked whether he should go to jail.
Court records show Small was on parole after being in prison on drug charges in Luzerne County. Small left the room angry and walked across the street to a Wawa store where a surveillance camera captured him getting a coffee cup and filling it up with gasoline. He added that she had “laughed” at him when he had gone back to the motel room with the cup of gasoline and had set it on top of the TV in the room. He allegedly told his mother that she “looked like Freddy Kruger”. Firefighters responded to the fire and were able to keep the fire under control. Action News spoke with witnesses who say the smoke was very intense in the hallway as they were trying to make their way out.
At least three people were rescued from second-floor rooms following the fire.
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Several other people staying at the motel were treated for smoke inhalation and were sent to hospital.
