Female patients began fire at Smethwick psychiatric unit
Two women started a fire at a psychiatric unit where both of them were patients, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.
Katrina Mountford, aged 23, and 20-year-old Sky MacDonald deliberately sprayed paper with deodorant to make it burn faster, said Mr Patrick Sullivan, prosecuting.
They then lit it in a bin in the dining room of Raglan House in Raglan Road, Smethwick, shortly after breakfast on February 4, the court heard. Mr Sullivan added: "It soon went out of control.
"Staff fought it with a fire blanket and extinguisher until the fire brigade arrived to put it out. This could have been potentially life threatening."
An investigation into the fire that caused £1,000 damage pointed the finger of suspicion at Mountford and MacDonald and they admitted being responsible. They gave no reason.
MacDonald, who had previous convictions for violence and criminal damage, and Mountford admitted recklessly causing arson and were each made the subject of a hospital order under which they will be treated at a secure psychiatric unit for an unspecified period.
