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Three teens arrested on arson charges
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| Burbank homeowner Alan Krohn cleans up burned debris in front of his house. The discards were set on fire early Thursday. The fire also damaged an SUV parked next to it. |
BURBANK — Three 15- and 16-year-old boys were arrested Thursday for allegedly setting four fires — at homes and at a business — in the early morning hours, Burbank Police officials said.
At about 2:30 a.m., police and firefighters responded to a call about a fire on the patio of Michael’s Bar and Grill, Burbank Police Sgt. Thor Merich said.
“Four officers responded and noticed that the fire seemed to be in the outdoor patio area,” he said.
Apparently, someone jumped over the railing of the Olive Avenue restaurant and tried to set the television on fire, restaurant owner Michael Garrison said.
Unsuccessful, they doused two leather couches in lighter fluid, set them on fire and moved down the patio area where they allegedly tried to set a Christmas tree, plastic tables and holly wreathes that lined the railings on fire, he said.
“Most of this is fire retardant, which saved the restaurant from burning down,” Garrison said.
Police believe the boys then jumped on a table, which broke, and fled back over the railing to Florence Street.
Three more fires were than set on the 100 block of Florence where a driveway, a car and a patio were set ablaze, Merich said.
Police used a garden hose to put out the driveway where, 10 hours later a charred collection of books, lamps and coffee mugs that the homeowner had apparently set outside the day before sat in ashes.
And fire crews sought to extinguish a 2002 Ford Explorer parked on Florence and Christmas decorations on a patio.
The residents inside the house did not know about the patio fire until crews arrived, Merich said. The residents escaped injury due to firefighters quick response, he said.
“They were very close to burning down the house,” he said. “Had officers not been there, the whole house would have been engulfed.”
If the house did burn, the suspects could have been charged with a more serious offense, Merich said.
“If the house caught on fire, they could be arrested for murder or assault with a deadly weapon,” he said.
All three were arrested on suspicion of arson after police found them attempting to flee the scene.
“While officers were investigating, they saw two subjects running away from the scene,” Burbank Police Sgt. Travis Irving said. “They were running in an alley and hid in a neighbor’s yard when police found them.”
The third suspect turned himself in at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, driven to a Burbank police station by the father of one of the suspects already in custody, Irving said.
Police do not suspect alcohol or drugs played a part and said that all three are 10th-graders at John Burroughs High School.
Outside of Jim Jameson’s house, where the charred passenger’s side of his Ford Explorer sat in his driveway, the Burbank resident reflected on the early morning arson.
“I don’t think this says too much about those kids, but the Police and Fire Departments were excellent,” he said. “They were here before I even knew what was going on.”
Jameson estimates that his car suffered about $2,000 worth of damage.
That pales in comparison to Michael’s Bar and Grill, which endured about $70,000 worth of damages and lost revenue.
“There is about $30,000 worth of damage to the patio and we have to close the patio for a week, which will cost us about $40,000 because of the booked parties that we had to cancel,” Garrison said.
“I’m grateful to Burbank police and fire, the best in Southern California, but why would [arsonists] do this?” he asked, standing on his restaurant’s charred patio. “It’s unfortunate that in today’s society this happens. They tried to destroy someone’s way of life?”
The suspects were booked and are currently being detained at Sylmar Juvenile Hall.
At about 2:30 a.m., police and firefighters responded to a call about a fire on the patio of Michael’s Bar and Grill, Burbank Police Sgt. Thor Merich said.
“Four officers responded and noticed that the fire seemed to be in the outdoor patio area,” he said.
Apparently, someone jumped over the railing of the Olive Avenue restaurant and tried to set the television on fire, restaurant owner Michael Garrison said.
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“Most of this is fire retardant, which saved the restaurant from burning down,” Garrison said.
Police believe the boys then jumped on a table, which broke, and fled back over the railing to Florence Street.
Three more fires were than set on the 100 block of Florence where a driveway, a car and a patio were set ablaze, Merich said.
Police used a garden hose to put out the driveway where, 10 hours later a charred collection of books, lamps and coffee mugs that the homeowner had apparently set outside the day before sat in ashes.
And fire crews sought to extinguish a 2002 Ford Explorer parked on Florence and Christmas decorations on a patio.
The residents inside the house did not know about the patio fire until crews arrived, Merich said. The residents escaped injury due to firefighters quick response, he said.
“They were very close to burning down the house,” he said. “Had officers not been there, the whole house would have been engulfed.”
If the house did burn, the suspects could have been charged with a more serious offense, Merich said.
“If the house caught on fire, they could be arrested for murder or assault with a deadly weapon,” he said.
All three were arrested on suspicion of arson after police found them attempting to flee the scene.
“While officers were investigating, they saw two subjects running away from the scene,” Burbank Police Sgt. Travis Irving said. “They were running in an alley and hid in a neighbor’s yard when police found them.”
The third suspect turned himself in at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, driven to a Burbank police station by the father of one of the suspects already in custody, Irving said.
Police do not suspect alcohol or drugs played a part and said that all three are 10th-graders at John Burroughs High School.
Outside of Jim Jameson’s house, where the charred passenger’s side of his Ford Explorer sat in his driveway, the Burbank resident reflected on the early morning arson.
“I don’t think this says too much about those kids, but the Police and Fire Departments were excellent,” he said. “They were here before I even knew what was going on.”
Jameson estimates that his car suffered about $2,000 worth of damage.
That pales in comparison to Michael’s Bar and Grill, which endured about $70,000 worth of damages and lost revenue.
“There is about $30,000 worth of damage to the patio and we have to close the patio for a week, which will cost us about $40,000 because of the booked parties that we had to cancel,” Garrison said.
“I’m grateful to Burbank police and fire, the best in Southern California, but why would [arsonists] do this?” he asked, standing on his restaurant’s charred patio. “It’s unfortunate that in today’s society this happens. They tried to destroy someone’s way of life?”
The suspects were booked and are currently being detained at Sylmar Juvenile Hall.
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