Arson Suspected In Fire That Damaged Supervisor Fletcher's Home

SAN DIEGO, CA — Authorities reached out to the public Friday for information about a suspected arson fire that damaged the home of San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher and his wife, former Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, two weeks ago.

The couple were able to safely escape their house in the 4800 block of Wightman Street in the Fox Canyon neighborhood of City Heights when the blaze erupted about 4 a.m. Jan. 12, according to the San Diego Police Department.

Firefighters were able to keep the blaze, which appeared to have started in an outdoor trash can, from reaching the interior of the residence.

Fletcher said he and Gonzalez were awoken by their smoke alarms.

"The front of our house was engulfed in flames, but we were able to safely evacuate out another door," he stated on the day of the blaze.

Investigators believe that the fire was intentionally set. The multi-agency San Diego Metro Arson Strike Team was called in to take charge of the case.

Officials have not publicly disclosed what led authorities to suspect that the blaze — which damaged a parked car along with the facade of the home, causing an estimated $36,000 worth of monetary losses — might have been a criminal act.

Anyone with information about the fire was asked to call San Diego County Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477 or contact the agency online at sdcrimestoppers.org. Tipsters may remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.