Arson Suspected in Fire at Used-Car Dealership

Arson is suspected in a fire that gutted a North Hollywood used-car dealership early Sunday, destroying between 20 and 30 vehicles, a Fire Department spokesman said.

The blaze, which broke out shortly after 1 a.m. at Metro Motors, 11017 Cumpston Ave., caused damage estimated at $50,000 to the building and $200,000 to vehicles on the lot, Fire Department spokesman Larry Ford said.

Eleven engine companies took 27 minutes to extinguish the fire, Ford said. The cause of the fire, which is under investigation, was not immediately known. However, Ford said, the fire was believed to have been deliberately set. No one was injured.