Woman charged in Gage St. fire deaths enters not-guilty plea at Superior Court arraignment
WORCESTER — A 36-year-old woman pleaded not guilty Friday in Superior Court to multiple counts of second-degree murder in the four-alarm fire that filled a Gage Street apartment house in May.
Four people died in the May 14 blaze.
Yvonne Ngoiri was arraigned Friday after a Worcester County grand jury indicted her on four counts of second-degree murder. The indictment was announced Thursday evening by the office of Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.
In addition to the four counts of second-degree murder, Ngoiri was charged with two counts of arson of a dwelling, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury.
Ngoiri was a former resident of the building at 2 Gage St.
Authorities did not reveal a motive.
The fire, reported about 3:30 a.m., trapped several people in the building. Four people died. They were identified by authorities as Joseph Garchali, 47; Christopher Lozeau, 53; Vincent Page, 41; and Marcel Fontaine, 29.
The fire damaged an adjacent building at 5 Eastern Ave.
The four-alarm fire, about a block from Interstate 290, drew a large contingent of firefighters, with officials trying to account for residents. Twenty-one people were displaced from 2 Gage St.
Two of the victims were found in the hours after the blaze; two others were found days later. The rescue was slowed by the instability of the building. The structure was later razed.
In court Friday, Assistant District Attorney Joseph Simmons asked that Ngoiri be held without bail without prejudice. She is due back in court Nov. 29.
Simmons pointed out that several relatives of the victims and former tenants were in the courtroom.
Michael S. Hussey served as the attorney for the defense for the arraignment, while Superior Court Judge Valerie A. Yarashus presided.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was part of the extensive investigation. The building at 2 Gage St. had been cited for health and safety violations over the years.
Ngoiri has been arrested multiple times in recent years. Charges have included assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (glass bottle), larceny of a motor vehicle and drunken driving.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Woman charged in Gage St. fire deaths enters not guilty plea at Worcester Superior Court arraignment
