Fire Damages Antique Cars; Boy, 9, Arrested

A 9-year-old boy was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of setting a five-acre brush fire that damaged 19 antique cars, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said.

“The kid set a field on fire playing with an old Bic lighter” about 3:40 p.m., Sgt. Richard Gurr said. “The field ignited, and spread to a house, and the house went poof!”

Inside and around the building in the 40300 block of 11th Street West were 19 restored antique cars which were damaged by the blaze, Gurr said. He did not know the age or value of the cars, but said the total damage amounted to about $100,000, including the cars and a shed belonging to a local water district.

The boy was taken to the Palmdale sheriff’s station and released to his parents’ custody, Gurr said.