A homeless man was arrested after being caught on video allegedly attempting to ignite one of the Los Angeles County wildfires using a “flamethrower.” The incident occurred in Woodland Hills, where local residents witnessed the suspect riding a bicycle and setting fire to several Christmas trees and garbage cans around the same time the Kenneth Fire broke out.
Renata Grinshpun, a witness, recalled seeing a car suddenly stop, with someone shouting, “Neighbors, he’s trying to start a fire! Call 911!” She reported seeing the suspect holding what appeared to be a large propane tank or flamethrower while trying to set debris alight. Neighbors quickly intervened, surrounding the man as he attempted to flee on his bicycle. Video footage shared by KTLA captured the moment, showing the man being detained by residents who used zip ties and a rope to make a citizens’ arrest.
According to Grinshpun, the community united to stop the suspect: “A few gentlemen surrounded him and got him on his knees,” she said.
The Kenneth Fire, which started around 2:30 p.m. local time, has since grown to 960 acres, with 0% containment reported as of Friday morning (January 10). The Los Angeles Police Department responded to reports of a man attempting to set fires around 4:30 p.m., and within 30 minutes, the suspect was detained by local citizens. Senior Lead Officer Sean Dinse confirmed that the fire is being investigated as a potential arson case.
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As the wildfires continue to ravage Los Angeles County, the death toll has risen from five to ten, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office. This includes fatalities from the 13,690-acre Eaton fire in Altadena and the 19,978-acre Palisades fire. The medical examiner noted that identifying victims may take weeks due to the severity of the fire and the difficulty in accessing and identifying bodies in dangerous conditions.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna emphasized the challenges of accurately reporting fatalities, stating, “We’re still working in a very fluid and active environment…we want to give you numbers, but we have to wait until it’s safe for our personnel to do this right.”
In response to the fires, over 100,000 residents have been evacuated from affected areas. The Eaton and Palisades fires have been among the most destructive in the county, causing widespread devastation and ongoing danger.
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