Hollywood Arson Fires

In five days around the New Year, more than 50 fires were set, mostly in the Hollywood area, but also on the Westside and in the San Fernando Valley.

 At 12:23 AM, on the morning of Friday, December 30th, a series of incendiary fires began in Hollywood. By daybreak, a total of 12 fires had been confirmed in the Hollywood area, and four fires in the city of West Hollywood. These 16 intentionally set fires were located in carports under apartment buildings.

A Joint Task Force was formed between the LAFD, LAPD, LACoFD, Sheriff’s and the ATF to investigate these fires and to apprehend the suspect or suspects responsible for these heinous acts.

On New Year’s morning there were five more incidents related to this series of fires. One incident involved a vehicle fire in a carport that extended into the structure. Another fire was confined to the vehicle and was controlled prior to extending into the structure. The three additional incidents were reported as “Fire Outs.”

LA County Fire also reported two incidents in the city of West Hollywood. One of the two incidents involved several vehicles in a carport.

At 3 a.m. on January 3, 2012, a reserve sheriff’s deputy spotted a minivan in West Hollywood and pulled it over near the Sunset Strip. The driver appeared to match the identity of the number one suspect and inside his minivan, officials found fire starter sticks, police said. He was taken into custody, and the outbreak of fires came to a sudden halt.

Photos by Juan Guerra, EPN and Mike Meadows, EPN