Boy, 6, Blamed in Macy’s Fire
A 6-year-old boy Christmas shopping with his mother set fire to a rack of dresses at Macy’s department store in the Media City Center mall, forcing the evacuation of 300 people, arson investigators said Wednesday.
The fire, reported at 6:13 p.m. Tuesday, caused no serious injuries and did not spread beyond the clothes rack. Water from overhead sprinklers and smoke caused most of the estimated $250,000 in damage, Fire Marshal Darryl Forbes said.
The store opened as usual Wednesday to accommodate the Christmas rush, store manager Dale Hernandez said.
Forbes said he doubts that the boy, who lit the fire with a book of matches, will be prosecuted.
“This was totally accidental,” he said.
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.
