Valley West Arson Fire Stopped Before Spreading – September 12, 2012
Through 2010 and into early 2011, Arcata was plagued throughout town by intentionally set dumpster and debris fires which sometimes spread to adjacent structures such as this Halloween, 2010 L.K. Wood Boulevard arson. No suspects were identified. It’s not yet known whether the Sept. 12 recycling bin arson was related to the earlier spate of arsons. Photo courtesy Arcata Fire
APD Press Release
VALLEY WEST – On Wednesday, Sept. 12 at approximately 2 a.m., Officers from the Arcata Police Department and members of the Arcata Fire Department were dispatched to the Valley West Shopping Center, 5000 Valley West Blvd., on the report of a fire. The caller had reported seeing subjects fleeing from a dumpster that was on fire.
On their arrival, the responders found a cardboard recycling dumpster fully engulfed in flames next to the building. A storage shed, next to the dumpster and attached to a wall of the shopping center was starting to burn.
AFD personnel were able to quickly knock the fire down and prevent substantial damage to the shed. The main part of the Shopping Center building was not damaged. The cost of the damages is not known. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Officer checked the area and spoke with witnesses. The subjects who were seen fleeing were not located. Information into possible suspect descriptions is being investigated. Links to any other local fires are unknown, but are being investigated as well. No other fires or attempts at starting fires were located in the area.
Additional information will be the subject of future press releases.
