Suspect in custody in deadly Lombard fire

July 23, 2012 (LOMBARD, Ill.) (WLS) -- Authorities are questioning a person in connection to what they are calling a suspicious fire that killed a woman over the weekend in Lombard.

Twenty-four-year-old Paula Morgan was killed. Police say her boyfriend was critically injured in the fire. Morgan's 5-year-old son managed to escape the burning home early Sunday.

The state's attorney plans to file charges in this case.

While a suspect is in custody for allegedly starting the fire, neighbors are left wondering why someone would do this.

"Paula was awesome," said friend Meghan Meier. "She was a great mom and a good neighbor. She was fun. She was energetic."

Meier's daughter Cecilia attends Westmore Elementary with Morgan's 6-year-old son Nick.

"Our whole community is saddened by it," said Meier. "It's just a tragedy and shouldn't have happened."

Morgan's 5-year-old son survived the deadly fire and is now with his father.

Neighbors can't believe what they saw in this otherwise safe and quiet area.

"The reason we're all looking to move into neighborhoods like this is because, this is not what you're expecting at all, it's the exact opposite," said neighbor Zubair Asgar.

The fire started early Sunday morning. Morgan was trapped in an upstairs bedroom when the fire broke out. Firefighters pulled her and her boyfriend out of the house. Her son was able to escape unharmed.

Morgan's mother also lives in the home but was not there at the time.

Morgan had an early birthday gathering with friends this weekend. She would have turned 25 years old Monday.

"Who would do such a thing? This is murder in my opinion," said family friend Zbigniew Mikucki.

A car was also found engulfed in flames in the driveway, forcing an evacuation in this neighborhood.

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local, diane pathieu

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