The suspect who set fire to a home on Flowerpark Drive on Saturday is believed to have fled the scene and is being sought by sheriff’s deputies.
It wasn’t clear whether the man’s remains were in the home until sometime Monday afternoon, said Keegan McInnis, an L.A. County Sheriff’s Department detective on the arson and explosives detail. McInnis is leading the investigation.
Sheriff’s personnel worked with L.A. County Fire Department personnel throughout Sunday and Monday searching for the suspect’s remains, McInnis said.
“We slowly went through what remained of the house and we did not find anyone inside,” McInnis said. “We’ve gotten some tips that the individual that we believed may be inside may have escaped after setting the fire. We’re now looking for that person.”
The Flowerpark Drive fire started as a “family disturbance incident,” McInnis said. First responders were called to the scene in response to a psychiatric medical emergency call early Saturday afternoon, and firefighters worked for several hours to put out the flames. The fire was contained to that home.
Brian Kight, L.A. County Fire Department spokesman, said that the suspect’s family members told first responders that the man may have fled the property. Until Monday, it wasn’t clear whether he had actually left the home before the fire spread.
McInnis said cadaver dogs were brought to the scene of the fire’s aftermath to confirm there were no human remains.
“We had some cadaver dogs come out Sunday and then Monday to do our due diligence … (and concluded) he did escape.”
McInnis said investigators believe the suspect is not a danger to the general public, but to protect their investigation he could not release any details about him. Little additional information about what set off the incident has been confirmed.
“We feel pretty confident this was an isolated incident,” McInnis said.
McInnis added that the investigation is still in its early stages, and that the Sheriff’s Department arson and explosives detail has received few leads.
“We’ve had some tips come in, but nothing concrete, so we’re following the little leads that we do have,” McInnis said.
