Inquiry Finds Arson in 2 Weekend Fires
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Los Angeles city fire investigators have determined that arson was responsible for two fires last weekend that caused more than $2.5 million in damage to two Harbor area Thrifty Drug stores, a bank and a grocery store.
It was not yet determined, however, whether the fires were connected, Fire Department spokesman Manny Hernandez said Thursday.
The larger of the two blazes, which occurred about 20 minutes apart, began about 1:30 p.m. Sunday and gutted a Thrifty Drug store at Anaheim Street and Avalon Boulevard in Wilmington. The blaze slightly injured two of about 120 firefighters called to the scene, Hernandez said.
The fire also destroyed a Bank of America branch and damaged a Top Valu Market.
The second fire caused minimal damage to a Thrifty Drug outlet at 501 S. Gaffey St. in San Pedro. No one was injured in that fire, which was extinguished by automatic sprinklers before fire crews arrived.
In both cases, Hernandez said, arson investigators found that the fires began when stacks of pillows at the drugstores were deliberately ignited. Hernandez declined to release further details about the investigation.
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