Man Arrested for Arson in Apartment Explosion

A man is in custody, being held on suspicion of arson, for allegedly igniting a fire today inside of his unit at an apartment building in Santa Monica.

The suspect suffered some burns to his hands and feet, according to Sgt. Jaime Hernandez of the Santa Monica Police Department

Officers were dispatched at 1:10 a.m. to 1827 Euclid Ave. in response to a report of an explosion and subsequent fire, Hernandez said. Officers arriving at the scene saw the suspect in front of the structure and through their investigation determined that he started the fire inside his unit.

It was not immediately known where inside the unit that the fire began, he said.

“It (the fire) was contained in that one unit,” he said.

Hernandez said he did not immediately know the name of the suspect and could not confirm media reports that he was a veteran suffering from PTSD.

City News Service