Cops race to stop Hollywood-area arson car fires

(CBS/AP) 

Updated 11:04 a.m. EST Saturday

LOS ANGELES — Several more cars burned in suspected arson attacks in the Los Angeles area early Saturday morning, and authorities investigated if they were connected to nearly two dozen deliberately set blazes a day earlier, police said.

Seven or eight cars burned Saturday in the North Hollywood area, said officer Robert Collier.

He said he didn't have further details of the blazes, but said arson is suspected and there could be a link to the earlier blazes.

"We believe there might be, but we don't know for sure," he said.

Fire officials said the first report came in shortly after midnight, and the most recent about three hours later.

Early Friday morning, fires were reported in nearly two dozen locations in Hollywood and the neighboring city of West Hollywood during a four-hour period before dawn. In nearly every case, the fire started in a parked car.

Charred remains of cars which burned in the North Hollywood area of California Friday, Dec. 20, 2011.

(Credit: KCBS)

Flames from torched vehicles ignited some nearby houses early Friday, including one once occupied by Doors frontman Jim Morrison.

But Collier said that although some of Saturday's blazes are in carports and garages, he didn't have any reports of damage to buildings.

Police up a command post in the North Hollywood area and have called a tactical alert, allowing them to call in more officers.

No arrests have been made and no injuries reported.

Another car fire was reported around 7 p.m. Friday in an underground garage in Hollywood that fire officials were investigating for possible links to the series of arson blazes. Los Angeles Fire Capt. Jaime Moore said that a connection hasn't been ruled out.

Arson investigators "consider it to be an incendiary fire similar to the fires from this morning," he told The Associated Press.

The new fires broke out even as authorities beefed up patrols and urged the public to remain vigilant overnight.

Officials announced at least $35,000 in rewards for information leading to the conviction of the person or persons responsible.

All of the Friday's fires were in a 2-square mile area and most were in densely populated residential neighborhoods where residents would likely be asleep.

Authorities interviewed witnesses and looked for any video footage that may have captured the person, or people, responsible for the spate of crimes. Investigators from four agencies met for a strategy session, while Los Angeles officials summoned investigators from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Fire officials couldn't say whether the rash of fires was the work of a copycat. There was a series of other arson fires early Thursday, also in Hollywood. Two people have been arrested and remain in custody for those blazes, officials said.

One of the homes was in Laurel Canyon, where Morrison and his girlfriend once lived, neighbors said. The winding road was the inspiration for the Doors' hit "Love Street," and the house was listed for nearly $1.2 million earlier this year, according to real estate website Zillow.com.

Sandy Gendel, who owns a nearby restaurant, said he heard explosions from what he later determined were likely car tires. He saw flames 30 feet high coming from the deck of the former Morrison house and a gutted Mazda Miata.

"It was just like a towering inferno," Gendel said.

Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Jaime Moore said it is plausible that one person in a car, on a motorcycle or on a bike could have set all the fires, considering the limited area the blazes broke out in.

Hollywood is served by the Los Angeles city police and fire departments. Adjacent West Hollywood is a separately incorporated city served by the Los Angeles County fire and sheriff's departments.

[unclebernies]

My guess is the occupy movement is going to the next level.

[mercysoup]

I'm guessing the arsonist is one of our hero firefighters who is upset about recent layoffs or the cut in over time. He's trying to make a point about the importance of firefighters.

[smittyc]

It's California folks. That's the state where you are a freak if you don't do drugs. Obvious this guy is a pyromaniac another one of the disorders which seems to thrive in Cali. Oh well these things happen what can you do?

[thejoker12]

I think you are a little off on that freak comment unless you refer to weed as drugs. Cali folks like being different from one another and being apart of a group. Yes, when you live in the mid west watching and making fun of them don't forget to look around you and observe the hate within your own community. I really dislike living in the mid west amoung prejudice folk who make everyones life difficult. At least Calis have some class. Calis are tucked between mountains and ocean with mega culture spilled throughout the valleys. What does the mid west have? miles of corn and beans. Dead and flat in the winter.

[Transatlantique]

Southeastern Oklahoma is a pot haven. Maybe you forgot that Tennessee is the meth capital. I seem to remember a shooting or two at Virginia Tech?

[julianpenrod]

To increase the threat to human rights of the drone assassin program and the anti-Constitutional NDAA S.1867 bill, which effectively gives Obama the right to name anyone a "terrorist" even if they have committed no crimes and order them detained in perpetuity, the White House has announced that it will allow civilians to man drone controls and decide who they want to kill. Initially, they will likely by Blackwater sociopaths and other friends of the New World Order with enough murder warrants against them to make them pliable to the NWO's wishes. Eventually, they may expand it further. The suddenness and unprecedented nature of the string of fires in the Hollywood area suggest they may all have been "target practice" by one of the psychos Washington is entrusting with these weapons. The fact that the town of Stamford, Connecticut decided to bulldoze the house that burned up Christmas Day there, before a forensic examination could be made, suggests that they were hiding the fact it was leveled by some lunatic playing games with a Predator hunting Americans.

[fontek]

Not the smartest way to get revenge on people who are well off. Those vehicles are no doubt fully insured and will all be total losses. So the arsonist is simply giving away new vehicles to well off people paid for by their insurance companies. Insurance rates will be going up in that ZIP code soon.

[thejoker12]

You make a good point. Those cars are owned by the working class. Maybe someone in the one percent is getting pissy.

[taxedmore]

Quick - find them so we can make them aware of all their rights and can start spending a ton of taxpayer money on them.

[smittyc]

I dunno the firefighters spend most of their life hanging around the firehouse doing nothing. They might take their time in finding this guy, he's giving them something to do.

[take_a_number]

The article is so well written and the facts stated so well (seven or eight cars,the vandal or vandals were walking, riding a bicycle, motorcycle, driving or riding in a car) they are trying to cover up something. It must have been an ALIEN SPACESHIP flying too low and shorted out the auto's electronics causing the batteries to catch fire.

[hemusbull]

Veeeery goood article's analysis from you, take_a_number! This autor(s) must be ashamed...Anyway, you made my day.

[kevboom]

Teenagers with no parental supervision, no doubt.

[thejoker12]

Teenagers without a job.

[berlinfoto-2009]

Here in Berlin, Germany we have episodes of cars being burned, always high end cars parked on the street. Once and a while someone will be caught, it usually takes a while, to catch someone.
I think I heard this from a punk, "NAZI's we know where you park your cars." I think it was in reference to the burning of cars, but I doubt the person I heard it from was involved.

[booooooooooCBSboooooooooo]

One word, "occupy"

[thejoker12]

Why burn cars in Hollywood? They are poor folks. Beverly hills is the place to be.

[unclebernies]

Scary times we are living in.