Crime & Safety
Man Found Dozing in Ravine After Likely Sparking Accidental Fire
A man arson investigators believe sparked an accidental brushfire with a cigarette Tuesday was found dozing in a nearby ravine after fire crews had knocked down the three-acre Diamond Bar blaze.
Investigators discovered the man believed to have started an accidental sleeping in a nearby ravine after firefighters had extinguished the blaze Tuesday afternoon.
Sgt. Mike Costleigh, an arson detective with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, said the man likely disposed of a cigarette near the intersection of Pathfinder Road and Brea Canyon Cutoff Road with no intent of starting a brushfire.
Witnesses at a nearby office building before the blaze began and said he was pushing a shopping cart, gesturing erratically, and speaking loudly to himself.
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Sgt. Costleigh confirmed this to be the same man that investigators found and questioned in what he described as "a small encampment" near the site of the fire. Costleigh said the man could not remember disposing of a cigarette in the area.
Los Angeles County Assistant Fire Chief Angel Montoya said the response that included aid from Los Angeles County Sheriff's, nearby witnesses, and multiple area fire agencies helped to knock down the fire quickly.
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The fire burned around three acres in the area and was contained and extinguished in around one hour with engines from L.A. County Fire's station #119 in Diamond Bar, Brea, Orange County, L.A. County inmate crews and air support responding.
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