A 71-year-old Roanoke Rapids woman was charged with first-degree arson Monday night after she allegedly started a fire inside the back porch area due to a domestic dispute with her husband.

Elsie Marie Conwell was jailed on $150,000 bond and has a February 6 court date.

Major Tommy Hathaway of the Roanoke Rapids Police Department said Detective Jeff Baggett charged Conwell, of 724 Jefferson Street, following a fire that occurred at the residence shortly before 10:30 p.m.

Roanoke Rapids Officer Mark Oakley, members of B Squad, firefighters and EMS arrived at the scene and reported seeing flames from the back window of the residence. They discovered curtains and a plant were on fire.

Baggett determined Conwell allegedly started the fire, although how she started it was not immediately known.

Hathaway declined to elaborate on the details surrounding the domestic dispute. Conwell’s husband was home at the time.

No one was injured and fire damage was estimated to be around $1,000.