Paris prosecutor: Fire suspect has history of mental issues

PARIS – The Paris prosecutor says a suspect detained in the fire that devastated a Paris apartment building and killed 10 people has been hospitalized at least 13 times in the past decade for mental problems.

Prosecutor Remy Heitz told reporters Wednesday that the female suspect, who was quickly detained in a drunken state, has a clean police record but had been involved in three judicial procedures, which were all thrown out. He says she was released from her last hospitalization less than a week ago.

Two residents of the building in the posh 16th arrondissement rang fire alerts before 1 a.m. Tuesday. Residents fled to the roof and across balconies to escape the flames that quickly engulfed the nine-story building.

The suspect remained under evaluation Wednesday in a police infirmary.