A woman allegedly set her Tribeca apartment on fire and then tried to pin it on a phony burglary in a bizarre act of arson, authorities said.
Aila Balic, 30, claimed a burglar tried to light her 14 Murray St. apartment ablaze with Molotov cocktails when she called police shortly before 8:30 a.m. Friday.
She was locked inside the apartment when cops arrived — as a small fire burned and smoke filled the air, according to the criminal complaint.
The blaze was quickly tamped down and Balic was wheeled out of her home on a stretcher and sent to the hospital for evaluation.
But police found a bottle of mouthwash with a rag stuffed inside it and no signs of forced entry into the third-floor apartment. One of the cops also noticed Balic had burn marks and soot on her hands, the complaint said.
A fire marshal ruled the fire appeared to have been started intentionally, according to an FDNY spokesperson.
Neighbors told The Post they didn’t know much about Balic, but believe she lives in the apartment with her partner.
She was charged with arson and reckless endangerment and arraigned Friday night. She pleaded not guilty and posted $5,000 bail, according to court records.
Balic and her family members did not respond The Post’s requests for comment. It is unclear if she has hired an attorney.
The FDNY spokesperson said a preliminary fire report hasn’t been completed yet.
