An Athens woman has been charged with arson after she allegedly set fire to a ham and caused an explosion Feb. 12 in a room at the Bomar Inn, Athens Police Chief Johnson said Monday.

Beverly Burroughs Harrison, 62, of 210 U.S. 31, Room 122, allegedly received a package of ham from family that she didn’t want, Johnson said. When the family left, she set the ham on fire and put it in a garbage can, he said.

“When the smoke in her room got bad, Harrison took her dog and left,” Johnson said. “At no time did she alert anyone to the fire.”

An explosion occurred shortly after she left.

Johnson said Athens Fire & Rescue and an agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives later determined a can of butane fuel, ruptured by the fire, caused the explosion.

Harrison was arrested Saturday on a charge of first-degree arson.

She was booked at Athens Police Department and transferred to the Limestone County Jail.

Bond has not yet been set.