Police searching for arson suspect who lit downtown Los Angeles business on fire
Authorities are searching for a suspected arsonist who set fire to a business in the popular Santee Alley shopping district in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday.
Firefighters were dispatched to 315 E. 11th Street at around 6 a.m. after learning of the fire, according to Los Angeles Fire Department Public Information Officer Bryan Humphrey.
They arrived and found a fire outside of the business, HM Hormiguitas Beauty. It took them just under 20 minutes to contain the fire, which extended inside of the store.
Though there were no injuries reported in the fire, owners say their family-run business sustained considerable damage.
"It's just devastating, since fire damaged the products we're not able to use them," said Valerie Mendez, an employee of the beauty supply store. "We're not able to resell them, and we also don't have insurance to cover the damages that were made by the fire."
Surveillance video shows an unidentified man, wearing a light-colored hat and a blue t-shirt, black shorts with a stripe and red tennis shoes, pouring what appears to be some sort of accelerant on the wall and floor outside of the store shortly before flames erupt.
Other footage shows him pushing a trash bin towards the store, which he appears to hide behind as he pours the liquid on the ground. He then funs away as fire alarms blare in the background.
LAFD arson investigators and Los Angeles police are searching for the man and anyone who knows more is urged to contact them with further information that could lead to his arrest.