A Friday fire in a homeless camp that spread and threatened businesses in the 2000 block of Rockefeller Drive was blamed on a 46-year-old transient woman who was arrested for arson.

The fire broke out at about 10:29 a.m. and Officer Matthew Myers was first on scene and was able to evacuate the employees of Market Dealer Supplies. Officer Myers was given a description of a female running from the scene southbound along the railroad tracks next to Highway 99. 

Officer Myers deployed a drone and spotted Theresa Cong, 46, along the railroad tracks south. Officer Kao Saechao was directed to Cong and arrested her.

Officer Myers conducted an investigation with the help of Modesto Fire Department which extinguished the fire. At the conclusion of the investigation, Cong was arrested for arson and booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center.