Woman pleads guilty in Worcester apartment fire that killed 4

A woman charged with four counts of second-degree murder in connection with a May 2022 fire in Worcester pleaded guilty and received four life sentences with the possibility of parole, prosecutors said.

Yvonne Ngoiri, 39, whose last known address was in Worcester, also pleaded guilty to 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, Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. said in a statement.

In the early morning of May 14, 2022, Worcester safety personnel were called to a fire at a three-decker home on Gage Street, according to the DA’s office.

As the fire raged, one resident was seriously injured after jumping from a window to escape the flames. Two other residents were taken to a local hospital and treated for smoke inhalation, the statement said.

Joseph Garchali, 47, Christopher Lozeau, 53, Vincent Page, 41, and Marcel Fontaine, 29, died in the fire from smoke inhalation and thermal injuries, according to the DA’s office.

Investigators determined that the intentionally set fire started in the rear of the building. The fire also damaged another building on Eastern Avenue, the DA’s office said.

Ngoiri, a former resident of the Gage Street building, was arrested and charged on Sept. 29, 2022, according to the statement.

Ngoiri was sentenced to 18 to 20 years for the arson charges, 9 to 10 years for the assault and battery charges, and 14 to 15 years for causing serious bodily injury, the DA’s office said. All of her sentences will be served concurrently. She will be eligible for parole after 20 years.

“We hope this result brings a measure of justice to the four families who lost a loved one, the three people who were injured, and the many others who lost their homes and belongings in this tragic fire,” Early said in the statement.