Public Help Sought in Battling Suspicious Venice Fires

The Los Angeles Fire Department is investigating a string of suspicious fires in the Venice area over the past month that may be the work of an arsonist.

City officials are asking local residents to report any suspicious activity and to take common-sense precautions to prevent fires near their homes.

According to Bill Rosendahl, Councilman for the Venice area, "We are determined to keep Venice safe by working together with the community; we will apprehend and arrest the person or persons responsible."

These fires have started as outside fires, mostly in areas such as automobiles, fences and rubbish, but some have extended into a structure, according to Fire Department officials.

The Los Angeles Fire Department Arson Investigators interviewed two individuals in relation to these fire incidents. Currently, no suspects are in custody.

The lead agency is the Los Angeles Fire Department, working in conjunction with the Los Angeles Police Department, Council Member Rosendahl’s office and other allied agencies, including the Santa Monica Fire Department.

Fire officials urge residents to be on alert for suspicious activity. The LAFD recommends that residents lock all vehicles, secure gates and garages, and place rubbish in cans and secure trash cans behind closed or locked fences.

Residents should immediately call 9-1-1 should they discover an active fire; residents are also urged to call the LAFD Arson/Counter-Terrorism Section office directly at 213-485-6095 to report suspicious activity or to relay information about any of the recent fires.


Submitted by Captain Tina Haro, Public Information Officer
Los Angeles Fire Department