West Hollywood Firebug Strikes Valley [Photos]

The same firebug believed responsible for a series of more than 20 fires was apparently at work in the San Fernando Valley today, setting fire to as many as 11 cars and damaging several more apartment buildings by about 3 a.m Saturday.

Fires started breaking out in North Hollywood, Valley Village and the Foothills about 1:30 a.m., with three or four cars going up in flames under an apartment building near Burbank Boulevard and Colfax Avenue, which is only about a block from the LAPD North Hollywood Division's station.

Patch reporter Anthony Pardines was at the scene of several of the fires. See the attached photos.

Several people were believed to have been forced out of their apartments, but police and fire officials were tight-lipped about their investigations. At least one person was said to be complaining of chest pain at the scene of one fire.

The arsonist is also beleived to have lit more fires since about 4 a.m. in the Fairfax district and Park La Brea, as firefighters have area have quenched several fires in the area.

Los Angeles police said they were looking for a man driving a white-and-tan, mid-90s model Lexus ES300, and that today's fires are consistent with those set by the arsonist suspected in Hollywood and West Hollywood fires over the past two nights.

Police declared a citywide tactical alert -- meaning supervisors can hold officers for overtime if needed -- after the spate of fires set this morning appeared to be work of the same fire-bomber.

Erik Scott of the Los Angeles Fire Department said arson investigators were at several car and structure fires in Sherman Oaks/Valley Glen, North Hollywood and Sun Valley they responded to since midnight.

The arsonist is apparently using some kind of Molotov cocktail, perhaps in a container able to penetrate car-window glass.

This summer, a serial arsonist who also mainly struck cars parked at buildings terrorized the North Hollywood area for multiple nights. Police .

On Thursday night and early Friday, 17 fires were set in Hollywood and five others in next-door West Hollywood. Most started in cars. A home in the hills where Jim Morrison wrote the song "Love Street" about girlfriend Pam Courson went up in flames on Rothdell Trail.

In some cases, fires started in cars damaged living units above them, causing the residents to move out. At least 10 cars were believed to have been destroyed, and four buildings were damaged. Firefighters estimated the damage at $185,000.

Police detained a 22-year-old Sunland man on suspicion of setting fires early Thursday, but he remained in custody as the other fires broke out the past two night.

City and county officials have offered a $60,000 reward for information leading to the culprit. Tips can be called into city firefighters at (213) 893- 9800, county firefighters at (800) 633-2836.

"We are dead serious about trying to apprehend the individual or individuals who are responsible for this. We want to get these S-O-Bs before they hurt somebody," county Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said at a Friday news conference. "One of these fires was just less than three blocks from my own home."

Samuel Arrington was arrested by Los Angeles police near La Brea Avenue and Sunset Boulevard about 1:30 a.m. Thursday for allegedly setting a fire in a garbage can outside a 7-Eleven and trying to ignite a fuel tank on a truck, police said.

Arrington was also suspected in a 1:12 a.m. trash bin fire at 1444 Poinsettia Place and a carport fire at 1434 Fuller Ave., where four vehicles and an apartment were damaged, city firefighters said.

Arrington, booked on suspicion of attempted arson, was jailed in lieu of $75,000 bail.

Alejandro Pineda was arrested in a rubbish fire at 1347 McCadden Place at 4:29 a.m. today, fire officials said. Pineda was booked for arson of property and is being held in lieu of $50,000.

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