L.A. County Fire Chief Plans to Resign Nov. 3

Los Angeles County Fire Chief John Englund, 57, whose administration has been hit by charges that a civilian accountant embezzled more than half a million dollars in department funds, plans to resign Nov. 1, it was disclosed today.

Englund, who has been chief for four years, submitted his resignation after offering the Board of Supervisors his recommendations for fiscal reform. He told supervisors that he had wanted to leave earlier but felt obliged to stay until better fiscal controls were developed.