Leominster woman charged with setting neighbor's home on fire

A Leominster woman has been charged with arson after setting her neighbor's house on fire.

On Monday afternoon, firefighters were called to 51 Douglas Avenue for a fire. Officials say the fire broke out on a second floor back porch. This was the third time firefighters were called to that home in the last month.

Linda Sbrogna, 54, was arrested Monday night and charged with setting fire to a home and breaking and entering in the daytime with intent to commit a felony.

Paul Legere lives in the home with his fiance Rosemary Allen.

"The property that we have is badly damaged. It's a lot more than just soot and smoke right now. Everything inside is destroyed and we are basically homeless," said Legere.

He says after the first two times his home caught fire, he put up security cameras. He says the cameras recently caught Sbrogna walking away from his home, but not setting it on fire.

"We suspected it was her, but we didn't know for a fact," said Legere.

Legere says he had an ongoing feud with Sbrogna for years after he built a rock wall on the property line.

"It was a nice accent to the yard. It was maybe a half inch on her property and she took it upon herself to completely dismantle the wall," said Legere.

He says he's taken legal action against her in the past, but she'd keep coming back to destroy the wall.

"Restraining orders, harassment orders, didn't seem to help. Called the police several times," said Legere.

He says he's now selling his home, not because of Sbrogna, but because it belonged to his parents and he wants to move on. Even so, he says he'd never feel safe living there again.

"We knew she was an irritant, but not to the point of being violent," said Legere.

Sbrogna is being held pending a dangerousness hearing on Friday.

Firefighters also responded to another fire at a home on Page Avenue. That fire is still under investigation.

RELATED: Massive fire rips through Leominster home

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