Calif. Firefighters Investigating Arson Cases

Jan. 20--Firefighters and police are investigating two similar arsons in Ventura parks following a blaze last night and another on Monday, fire officials said.

Restroom fires at Thille and Mission parks have caused thousands of dollars in damage and investigators believe they may be related.

"The assumption is the same person or the same group of people but we don't know that for sure," said Tony Hill, a battalion chief with the Ventura Fire Department.

Firefighters responded to the most recent incident 11:40 p.m. Saturday at Thille Park, authorities said.

Responding crews found a restroom structure with smoke and flames showing. One bathroom unit was completely ablaze, extending into a center storage area, another bathroom area and the eaves of the structure, firefighters said.

Crews were able to extinguish the fire and keep it from extending any further, officials said. The blaze caused an estimated $75,000 in damage.

Ventura crews responded to the other incident Monday night. A restroom structure at Mission Park was engulfed in flames before it was extinguished, causing damage estimated at $100,000, officials said.

Fire investigators said the source of both fires were plastic trash cans inside the restrooms, Hill said. Tests were still being run Sunday morning to see if any chemicals were used as an accelerant to initiate the fires, he said.

There are no suspects or witnesses in either incident, Hill said.

No injuries were reported in either fire.

Click here to view the approximate location of the fires

Copyright 2013 - Ventura County Star, Calif.