Carport, garage fires in Rosemead, Monterey Park may be related, deemed suspicious

Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Fires in Rosemead, Monterey Park may be connected, deemed suspicious
Four fires engulfing carports or garages in Rosemead and Monterey Park are being investigated as suspicious, according to Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies.

ROSEMEAD, Calif. (KABC) -- Four fires engulfing carports or garages in Rosemead and Monterey Park are being investigated as suspicious, according to Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies.

Three fires erupted within a half-mile radius of one another in Rosemead between 2:20 a.m. and 2:33 a.m. The fires happened in the 7700 block of Hellman Avenue, 3000 block of Jackson Avenue and 2500 block of Del Mar Avenue.

A fourth fire happened around 11 p.m. Monday night in Monterey Park in the 300 block of East Graves Avenue and appeared similar in nature, according to authorities.

They believe the incidents, which all involved carports or garages, may be connected. Fifteen cars were destroyed in the fires and one outbuilding suffered superficial damage because of the intensity and proximity of the flames.

Authorities said the damage was estimated to be about $275,000 in three of the fires.

No one was injured in any of the fires. The sheriff's department's arson-explosive team is handling the investigations.

Anyone with more information was asked to call the L.A. County Sheriff's Department Temple Station at (626) 285-7171 or the Arson/Explosives Detail at (323) 881-7500.