In the wake of the recent Kenneth fire that erupted north of the Palisades fire, a man suspected of arson has been apprehended.
The suspect was allegedly caught in the act of attempting to ignite a fresh blaze with what has been described as a "flamethrower."
The Kenneth fire, which broke out on Thursday, has since threatened homes in the vicinity of Calabasas and Hidden Hills. As reported by The Independent, the fire has already consumed nearly 1,000 acres and is only 35 percent contained. This is just one of the many wildfires currently wreaking havoc across southern California, claiming at least 10 lives, as confirmed by the Department of Medical Examiner.
The origins of the Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst fires are still under investigation. However, the Los Angeles Police Department initially expressed its belief that the Kenneth fire was intentionally set. The suspect, believed to be in his mid-20s and a Spanish speaker, was reportedly spotted trying to start a fire behind a van on Ybarra Road in Woodland Hills.
Senior Lead Officer Sean Dinse of the Los Angeles Police Departments Topanga Division told KTLA 5, What we know right now is the incident occurred; started here. He added, And about 20 minutes 30 minutes later, a suspect was detained over the Woodland Hills area by citizens.
The local community played a crucial role in the suspect's apprehension. After spotting the man and dialing 911, they managed to corner him, binding his wrists with rope and zip ties, and held him until the police arrived. Renata Grinshpun, a local resident involved in the citizen's arrest, recounted the incident to a local news station. All of a sudden I hear a car come to a screeching halt, and I hear a guy running out saying, Stop, stop, drop what youre holding, drop what youre holding, she said. The next thing we hear is, Neighbours, neighbors, hes trying to start a fire. Call 911, call 911. My mom ran out in a bathrobe ready to fight that guy and all of the neighbors started coming out, calling 911. We really bound together as a group.
According to Grinshpun, the suspect was armed with an incendiary device. He had a propane tank, or a it was a big yellow tank, like a flame-thrower basically. The neighbor said he saw the guy behind a van, trying to light something on fire, she explained. The suspect later claimed that he used a blowtorch to smoke marijuana because he couldnt afford a lighter.
While the investigation is ongoing and the suspect's potential motivations remain unclear, the incident underscores the community's resilience in the face of adversity. Meanwhile, brush fires continue to rage across the Los Angeles area. The Palisades Fire, one of the city's most destructive, is now at six percent containment, having scorched almost 20,000 acres. The Eaton fire, based in Altadena and Pasadena, has burned 13,690 acres, while the Sunset fire in the Hollywood Hills consumed 43 acres before it was extinguished on Thursday.
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