Arsonists Set School, Office Building on Fire

Five arson fires, including one at a Catholic elementary school, were set early Wednesday in different parts of the San Fernando Valley, authorities said.

No injuries were reported, and no evidence has been found to indicate that the fires are related, said Pat Marek, spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department. None of the fires appears to be related to a series of small rubbish and tree fires deliberately set in Reseda last week, Marek said.

The first fire was reported about 12:39 a.m. Wednesday at a two-story Studio City office building in the 12000 block of Ventura Boulevard, he said.

Several small fires had been set on the first and second floors. The fire, which caused more than $45,000 in damage, was put out in about 30 minutes, Marek said.

A fire was reported about 1:20 a.m. in Panorama City at St. Genevieve’s Elementary School in the 14000 block of Roscoe Boulevard.

The fire, put out in about 15 minutes, caused more than $13,000 damage, Marek said. Evidence was found indicating that the fire had been deliberately set, Marek said.

A 3 a.m. brush fire in Woodland Hills blackened 10 acres before it was controlled by firefighters and three helicopters, Marek said.

The brush fire near the 20800 block of West Mulholland Drive was extinguished in less than an hour, Marek said.

Two small brush fires broke out about the same time in the Topanga Canyon area about a mile away, said Deputy Richard Edwards of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The fires charred less than one acre near Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Summit to Summit Motorway and were quickly extinguished, Edwards said.

Authorities said no arrests have been made.