Crime & Safety

About Last Night's Fires—a First-Hand Account

Lots of sirens were wailing up and down Ventura Boulevard on Wednesday night as half a dozen fires were set. 

A suspect was caught:

Police Capture Ventura Blvd. Arson Suspect

And Chris Watkins, of the Psychic Eye Book Shops—one of the oldest businesses in that area of Sherman Oaks—has a story that he offered to share with Patch. He shared the photo, too.

"We were among the first hit by the arsonist last night.  Around 8:30 a vigilant employee smelled smoke and noticed that the awning over our rear entrance was burning.

 He quickly grabbed a fire extinguisher while another employee called 911 on her cell phone, only to see the firemen down the street at Dixie Canyon & Ventura dealing with a trash can fire.  

The firemen came and finished off the blaze, which as you can see was underneath an overhang of the building.  It could have been much worse....  Anyway, just wanted to share the photo & the short story."

 "He quickly grabbed a fire extinguisher while another employee called 911 on her cell phone, only to see the firemen down the street at Dixie Canyon & Ventura dealing with a trash can fire.  

"The firemen came and finished off the blaze, which as you can see was underneath an overhang of the building.  It could have been much worse....  Anyway, just wanted to share the photo & the short story."


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