WESTFIELD, Mass. (WGGB) — A 23 year old city man pled not guilty Friday to arson charges in connection with a serious house fire Thursday afternoon in Westfield. Two people had to be rescued from the upper floors of the home by firefighters and transported to Noble Hospital for smoke inhalation.

“You hear about it happening but never imagine that it’d happen to yourself,” three year resident Charity Roberts said.

Residents that were back at the home on Friday were trying to recover from the fire, but also in shock over the news of who police say started the fire.

“I don’t believe it was arson- I really don’t,” Roberts said.

Police say nine year resident of the home Christopher Perrier allegedly admitted to starting the fire by throwing a lit match into a clothes basket in the basement of the home- all while Perrier’s two year old son, fiance, and mother were upstairs.

“People’s lives were put at risk, firefighters, and police oficer’s lives were put at risk,” prosecutors said in court Friday.

Investigators say Perrier was angry because his landlord, Lester Hoynoski, failed to do routine maintenance on the house. Perrier’s Defense Attorney Andrew Ott, meanwhile, claims his client has learning disabilities and was coerced into a confession by police

“Chris has no reason to set fire to this building- nothing against the landlord- most of his family lives in the house,” Ott said.

Perrier was taken away in handcuffs friday. His mother says she plans to stand by her son.

“He’s the most honest boy in the world. He would never hurt his family, never hurt his family,” Ott said.

Hoynoski declined to comment, other than to say he had not heard any complaints from Perrier. Perrier was held on $1,000 cash bail and will be back in court next month.