Woman arrested after accidentally starting dumpster fire outside Texas Attorney General’s Office

AUSTIN, Texas – A woman who accidentally set fire to a dumpster outside the Texas Attorney General’s Office in Austin on Wednesday has been arrested.

The woman was captured by surveillance cameras approaching a dumpster several times shortly after 6:30 a.m. Wednesday. The footage, which can be viewed in the media player at the top of this article, shows the dumpster erupting in flames just before 7 a.m.

According to a press release from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a 42-year-old woman was arrested Wednesday evening and charged with criminal mischief equal to or greater than $25,000 but less than $30,000 for allegedly setting the blaze.

The woman is believed to have thrown a lit cigarette into the dumpster and set the fire unintentionally, the press release states.