West Allis homeowner says someone set fire to house as she slept

Caught on camera: West Allis woman's home set on fire

A West Allis homeowner says surveillance video shows someone dousing her home and setting it on fire while she slept inside early Sunday morning, May 17.

WEST ALLIS, Wis. - A West Allis homeowner says someone set fire to the side of her house while she was asleep early Sunday morning, May 17.

What we know:

Kaleigh Werra said surveillance video shows someone dousing her home near 60th and Lincoln with a flammable substance just after midnight before lighting it on fire.

"For the most part it was just the mulch that stayed burning, not the house or anything," Werra said. "I actually thought lightning struck it or something."

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She said it did not occur to her at first that someone may have intentionally set the fire.

"It didn't even cross my mind that somebody set my house on fire," Werra said.

A still image from the surveillance video shows the person wearing a blue sweatshirt and a bucket hat.

"I was shocked, I couldn't believe it," Werra said.

Werra said a neighbor saw the flames and called police. The West Allis Fire Department responded and put out the fire while Werra was still asleep.

Werra said she woke up hours later and learned what happened.

"I'm a little overwhelmed, kind of shocking," Werra said. "All of my neighbors said this is the first time something like this has happened here."

Police were at the home Sunday afternoon investigating.

Dig deeper:

Werra said she still does not know why someone would target her home. She said she moved back to the area in April and had spent the past two weeks working in San Francisco.

"I don't know anybody here, so I don't have any issues with anybody," Werra said.

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Werra said she hopes neighbors take precautions while police investigate.

"I'm hoping that people beef up their security and maybe this individual is caught and doesn't do it again, because I honestly have no idea who it was," Werra said.

What we don't know:

FOX6 reached out to police and fire officials for more details on the incident and any potential suspect but has not yet heard back.