North Providence woman accused of setting off fireworks in stairwell, held without bail

NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A North Providence woman is facing a 1st Degree Arson charge after police say fireworks were ignited in a stairwell at an apartment complex over the weekend.

The incident occurred Saturday at the Spring Villa Apartments on McGuire Road, where authorities responded to reports of fireworks going off inside the building. Investigators say the fireworks were set off on the first-floor stairwell on the north side of the complex.

Following a review of surveillance video, police identified 55-year-old Gayleen Williams, a resident of the complex, as a suspect. Detectives later executed a search warrant at her apartment, where they say a box of commercial-grade fireworks was found concealed under a mattress.

Williams was taken into custody and is currently being held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions’ Women’s Intake Center.