Arsons spread to Valley
Residents were rousted out of bed and forced to flee homes early Saturday as fires possibly linked to more than a dozen arson blazes in Hollywood the night before struck the east San Fernando Valley.
Authorities were looking into at least 14 more possible arson fires, 11 of which torched cars parked overnight on the street or in carports in North Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, Valley Glen and Sun Valley, said Cmdr. Jorge Villegas, head of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Valley Bureau.
At least two more blazes believed to be part of the spree that spanned midnight to 3:30 a.m. Saturday were reported in Burbank and the Fairfax area, according to officials.
“It’s actually scary, to be honest with you, in terms of how many the suspect has committed and how fast he’s moving,” Villegas said. “He’s traversing the city; he’s not just staying in one area.”
It remained unclear if the fires were the work of one person or a crew, or if the new blazes were the work of a copycat inspired by arson fires overnight Thursday, said Villegas, adding that police were deployed heavily to respond quickly to any more fires.
“We’re looking to see if there’s any commonality between Thursday and these that are occurring now,” Villegas said. “We haven’t been able to identify what the MO is in terms of how it’s happening and why.”
The suspect appears to be using a type of Molotov cocktail, police said.
Meanwhile, authorities were also scrambling to solidify suspect descriptions based on an influx of calls from concerned residents with varying information.
LAPD earlier had released a description of a man driving a mid-1990s white-and-tan Lexus ES300. but callers were also reporting a green-and-black American muscle car seen at the time of the fires, Villegas said.
The fires mark the second night that at least one suspected arsonist lit the fiery blazes, some of which damaged apartment units above the carports. Late Thursday and early Friday, 21 arson fires were reported in Hollywood and West Hollywood.
Those fires caused a “conservative estimate” of $350,000 in damages, according to the Los Angeles fire Department. Damage estimates were unavailable for the second spree.
Reports of blazes on Saturday began coming in at about 1:30 a.m., and the fires progressed north from the North Hollywood area, where four cars were incinerated in a carport at Burbank Boulevard and Colfax Avenue, just a block from an LAPD station.
The balconies of the homes above the carports were also charred, with melted Christmas lights hanging from one awning.
“It’s one of those things where you think it’s not going to happen to you,” said Robert Melendez, 20, whose family’s Nissan Frontier and Toyota Camry sat charred, with tires melted and glass blown out, behind yellow crime scene tape.
But Melendez was taking the losses in a stride. “You can’t stress on the material stuff,” he said. “As long as everyone’s OK.”
No major injuries were reported in either spree. A firefighter fell off a ladder and some residents were treated for smoke inhalation, said Los Angeles fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey.
Other fires were reported in carports on Fulcher Avenue, Weddington Street, Tuxford Street, Riverside Drive, Cleon Avenue, Stagg Street and new Haven Street. the one in Burbank was on Rose Street.
“The number of fires just implies an evilness,” said Gary Joseph, who’s lived in the area for about four years. “Just living in the neighborhood makes you uneasy.”
Meanwhile, a reward offered by the city, county and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives for information leading to the capture of the arson or arsonists stood at $60,000.
Authorities urged residents to report anything suspicious, such as people loitering around garages and carports, or those who may have unexplained burns after coming home at strange hours.
Anyone with more information was urged to call 877-LAPD-247. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.
Twitter: @cjlinDN
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