Local News in Brief : Fires Damage 6 Firms

Two fires in businesses in Van Nuys and North Hollywood caused an estimated $1 million in damage Monday, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported.

Authorities did not know whether the fires were connected, but both were classified as suspicious and are being investigated by the arson squad, spokesman Vince Marzo said.

Officials said the North Hollywood fire was reported at 1:45 a.m. in two adjoining businesses in the 10600 block of Chandler Boulevard. It took firefighters 40 minutes to knock down the blaze. Afterward, inspectors found three separate points of origin of the fire, officials said.

Fire inspectors estimated damage to the structures at $300,000, adding that contents worth about $100,000 were destroyed.

At 3:09 a.m., a fire was reported in a grouping of small businesses in the 14500 block of Sherman Way in Van Nuys, officials said. The fire, which was extinguished in 30 minutes, damaged four businesses. Damage was estimated at $400,000 to the structures and $200,000 to their contents, officials said.