Arsonist Wanted In Lake Forest After Apartment Building Blaze

LAKE FOREST, CA — An arsonist set fire to an El Toro apartment complex leasing office caused over $100,000 in damages to the building and endangered the lives of people who live in the Pheasant Creek Apartment complex, Orange County Fire Authorities investigators say.

Freedom, an OCFA accelerant detection dog, was brought to the scene with his handler and was able to identify areas that contained an accelerant, according to Capt. Tony Bommarito. That, along with video surveillance footage captured at the scene, prove that arson was to blame.

Now, they have asked for the public's help in identifying the one responsible.

Video shows a suspect pouring a liquid on the outside of the building on El Toro Road and then setting fire to it in the early morning hours on Tuesday, Bommarito wrote in his release, adding that the fire was started just 50 feet away from occupied apartments.

"This appears to be a targeted attack by someone familiar with the area," OCFA said. "Investigators need the public's help identifying this arsonist before he strikes again."