The 41-year-old victim suffered second-degree burns after police say gasoline was deliberately ignited while she fueled her SUV.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A 41-year-old woman suffered serious second-degree burns Sept. 10 after police say Eleanor Crawford, also 41, deliberately ignited gasoline while the woman was filling her Volvo SUV at a St. Petersburg gas station. Crawford was arrested nearby and faces attempted felony murder and arson charges.
The fire broke out at about 8 p.m. at the Mobil station at 101 40th Avenue North, according to the St. Petersburg Police Department. Investigators said Crawford and the victim did not know each other before the encounter. Police have not announced a motive, leaving a central question about what led to the alleged attack unresolved.
Police said the victim was standing near her vehicle and pumping gasoline when Crawford approached. Investigators allege Crawford used a lighter to deliberately ignite the gasoline. The Volvo became engulfed in flames, and the woman was seriously injured. Authorities have not publicly released the victim’s name.
Emergency responders took the injured woman to Tampa General Hospital, where she was treated for second-degree burns. Local reporting said the burns affected her arms and back. Police described the injuries as serious. Later reports said the woman was expected to survive, although authorities have not released a detailed public update describing her recovery.
Officers located Crawford a couple of blocks from the gas station shortly after the fire and arrested her, police said. The department’s initial news release on Sept. 11 listed two arson charges. An update issued later that morning stated that the charges had been revised to attempted felony murder and arson.
The criminal charges are allegations and do not establish guilt. The case must proceed through Florida’s court system, where prosecutors would be required to prove the allegations. Public information released by police has focused on the fire, the victim’s injuries and Crawford’s arrest rather than offering an explanation for why the incident occurred.
Police have repeatedly said Crawford and the victim were strangers. That detail has remained significant because investigators have not disclosed evidence of a previous dispute or other relationship between them. Authorities also have not publicly announced another suspected motive for the alleged attack.
Accounts published after the arrest have differed on some procedural details, including the number of arson counts initially attributed to Crawford. The Police Department’s own release shows that officials updated the charges shortly after the first announcement, listing attempted felony murder and arson in the later version.
The investigation remained open in the latest public reporting reviewed Wednesday. St. Petersburg police had not announced a motive or released a newer detailed medical update on the victim, and the department’s public news release continued to list Crawford as accused of attempted felony murder and arson.
Author note: Last updated September 16, 2026.