Condominium Fire Was 2nd in 2 Weeks
A huge blaze that damaged or destroyed about 80 condominium units under construction in Lancaster on Saturday was the second suspicious fire at the 9.5-acre site in two weeks, authorities said Sunday.
Arson is suspected in a small fire on June 6, which caused an estimated $5,000 in damage to a condominium garage, after investigators identified scars on the concrete floor left by flammable liquids, said Capt. James R. Nelson of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Saturday’s massive fire, which caused an estimated $6 million in damage to the 127-unit Marbella Villas townhouses, was being investigated Sunday by arson specialists with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Deputy Barney Villa of the sheriff’s arson and explosives bureau, said “based on the fact of the previous fire” investigators suspect that Saturday’s blaze may have been deliberately set.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
