A WOMAN has been charged with arson following a house fire in Popley. 

Police were called at 8.27am on Friday, July 5 to reports of a fire at a property in Fountains Close. It was also reported that a woman had been assaulted and had suffered a minor injury.

Police attended and arrested a woman at the scene.

Jemma Deann Paterson, 32, of Fountains Close, has now been charged with arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered, assaulting a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm and common assault of an emergency worker.

READ MORE: LIVE: Emergency services cordon off alley in Popley after fire

Police and the fire service were called to the incident in Fountains Close, Popley (Image: Newsquest) She appeared at Southampton Magistrates' Court on Saturday, July 6 and has been remanded into custody to appear at Winchester Crown Court on Wednesday, August 7. 

Following the incident, a fire service spokesperson said: "Crews from Basingstoke, Overton and Tadley were called to a property on Fountains Close at around half eight this morning (Friday). 

"One casualty was led to safety prior to firefighters in breathing apparatus entering the house to extinguish the fire involving both the ground and first-floor using hose reels and jets before clearing smoke from the premises with ventilation fans.

"HIWFRS conducted home fire safety visits at neighbouring addresses before leaving the scene at around 10am, having handed the incident over to police and ambulance teams."