REPAIRING ARSON DAMAGE; SUSPECT ARRESTED IN RESTAURANT FIRE.Byline: Don Holland Daily News Staff Writer Police investigating a pre-dawn arson Monday at a Carl's Jr restaurant arrested a customer suspected of smashing a window and tossing in a flammable device, officials said. Wilbur Schuler, 38, of Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. was arrested on suspicion of arson after police and firefighters responded to the fire at Carl's Jr on E. Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Ave., said Sandi Wells, a spokeswoman for the Ventura County Fire Department Not to be confused with Ventura Fire Department. The Ventura County Fire Department (VCFD) provides fire protection and emergency response services for the unincorporated areas of Ventura County, California, and for six other cities within the county. . ``Apparently there was some evidence at the scene that revealed that he was the suspect,'' Wells said. ``And then he admitted to igniting the fire.'' Authorities also recovered flammable liquid Generally, a flammable liquid means a liquid which may catch fire easily. In the USA, there is a precise definition of flammable liquid as one with a flashpoint below 100 degrees Fahrenheit. they think was used to start the fire, which was reported at 5:09 a.m. Carl's Jr shift leader Joel Simental said he spotted smoke and a small fire burning on a table when he and another worker arrived about 5 a.m. for opening chores. ``Somebody broke the window and put a paper with gasoline on the table,'' he said. ``(There was) too much smoke in the dining room. I called the police.'' The restaurant was closed at the time and no one was hurt. Fire officials estimated damage to the structure at $2,500. After clearance from a health inspector A health inspector, or Environmental Health Specialist is a public employee who investigates health hazards in a wide variety of locations, then will take action to mitigate or eliminate the hazards. , the restaurant's drive-through window opened at 7 a.m. and the dining room at 8:30 a.m. CAPTION(S): 2 Photos PHOTO (1--Color) Tradesman Pete Stevens measures a window to be boarded up, then replaced, after a firebombing Firebombing is a bombing technique designed to damage a target, generally an urban area, through the use of fire from a incendiary device, rather than from the blast effect of large bombs. at Carl's Jr on E. Los Angeles Ave. (2--Color) Tradesman Pete Stevens carefully removes glass after an arson fire. David R. Crane/Daily News |
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