SANTA PAULA : 2 Boys Arrested in $45,000 Arson Fire

Santa Paula police arrested two boys, ages 7 and 9, on Monday in connection with a weekend arson fire that caused at least $45,000 damage to an avocado packinghouse, authorities said.

The boys, whose names were withheld because of their age, have not been formally charged with arson, but instead will probably be referred to a counseling program to discourage child fire starters, Police Chief Walt Adair said. They were released into their parents’ custody.

“Children have to recognize the tremendous amount of damage they can do, the loss of property, the potential loss of life and the fact that their parents are exposed for the damages they create,” Adair said.

The fire, apparently set with gasoline, broke out at the Calavo Growers of California packing plant at 655 W. Main St. at 3:37 p.m. Saturday.

Plant manager Jim Starek said it destroyed about $45,000 worth of packing materials outside the building. Water damage inside the building may push the total loss to nearly $100,000, Starek said.

The fire also threatened to ignite an adjacent shake-roofed condominium building.

“It could have been a real disaster, since the shake roofs next door had a lot of embers on them,” Starek said. “I’m just amazed that they were that young.”

Police officials said the boys do not appear to have had a hand in the seven other suspicious fires reported over the weekend, including three brush fires, a palm tree fire and a trash fire.