---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, Jan 2, 2012 at 2:03 PM
Subject: [LAFD] Noon Update Regarding LA Arson Fires
To:
LOS ANGELES - During the early morning hours of Thursday, December 29, 2011, two persons were arrested in the Hollywood area in unrelated arson incidents where four fires and one attempted fire occurred. The arsons involved trash can fires and a vehicle fire that extended to an apartment building. Samuel Arrington 22 years old was charged with arson of an inhabited dwelling ($75,000 bail) and Alejandro Pineda 55 years old was charged with arson of property ($50,000 bail).
During the early morning hours of Friday, December 30, 2011, a series of 17 car/structure fires developed; five in West Hollywood and 12 in Hollywood. Following this series of fires a Joint Arson Task Force comprised of the Los Angeles City Fire Department, Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the County of Los Angeles Fire Department, the District Attorney's Office, and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was assembled.
In the early evening hours of Friday, December 30, 2011, and through the early morning hours of Saturday, December 31, 2011, 16 additional vehicle/structure fires occurred; four in Hollywood, 11 in North Hollywood, and one in Sunland. An additional car fire occurred in the City of Burbank.
On Saturday evening, December 31, 2011, 8 additional car/structure fires occurred; 6 in Hollywood and two in West Hollywood.
During the early morning hours of January 2, 2012, 11 additional car/structure fires occurred; two in West Hollywood, two in Hollywood, and seven in North Hollywood.
This string of fires has resulted in one fire fighter and one citizen injury; there have been no fatalities to date.
The Task Force has worked together around the clock and is currently reviewing more than 100 clues, mapping out the sequence of the fires that occurred, interviewing hundreds of witnesses, and canvassing the 53 fire scenes as part of this active investigation. Hundreds of investigators and uniform personnel from throughout the City and County of Los Angeles have been deployed to assist. Additionally, multiple search warrants have been authored and served as part of this investigation.
To date these fires have caused in excess of 2 million dollars of damage to vehicles and structures.
On Monday, January 2, 2012, shortly after 3:00 a.m., a Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy assigned to West Hollywood Station stopped the driver of a van near Sunset Blvd. and Fairfax Ave in the City of Los Angeles. The van resembled a description provided by the Arson Task Force as possibly being related to the recent fires and the driver resembled the person of interest seen in a videotape released by the multi-agency Arson Task Force. The driver was detained and investigators with the Arson Task Force were notified. Subsequent to interviewing this individual, he was placed under arrest.
At 6:15 p.m. there will be a press conference at Los Angeles City Fire Station 4: 450 East Temple Ave.
For additional information contact the Los Angeles Arson Watch Taskforce Joint Information Center at (213) 484-4873
Submitted by Erik Scott, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department
Erik Scott
Public Service Officer
Los Angeles Fire Department
200 N. Main Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 485-5162
Emergency Public Information (EPI) Center
"Serving with Courage, Integrity and Pride"
Home Page: LAFD.org News & Info: LAFD.org/blog
__._,_.___
