HANFORD, CA (KMJ) – A woman has been charged with arson for setting fire to Hanford’s historical Taoist Temple Museum on May 12.
According to Arianne Wing, President of the China Alley Preservation Society, many items that were damaged are irreplaceable artifacts.
The damage is estimated at over $500,000.
Detectives were able to get surveillance video and saw a woman sitting on the steps of the building, smoking and setting clothes on fire.
With the help of HART, Homeless Assistance and Resource Team, they were able to identify the woman as 37-year-old Maxine Montenegro.
She was questioned by detectives and felony charges of arson were submitted to the Kings County District Attorney’s Office.
Listen to the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern:
