Man arrested on suspicion of starting a Los Angeles fire as death toll rises

Police have revealed a man has been arrested and accused by locals of trying to light a fire in Los Angeles amid the devastation being caused by wildfires.

After the Palisades fire broke out on Tuesday, multiple others have broken out over California, sweeping through the state and engulfing Los Angeles.

At around 4:30pm yesterday (January 9), a man was spotted by locals in the Ybarra Road area of the Woodland Hills area allegedly trying to start a fire, the residents immediately calling police.

The accusations

The man was spotted on a bicycle, riding around with a blow torch in his hand, Fox 11 Los Angeles reports. Using the blow torch, the man was allegedly attempting to set fire to garbage cans and old Christmas trees lying out on the street.

Local, Renata Grinshpun, told KTLA 5: "We were sitting in the backyard and suddenly, we hear a car come to a screeching halt and the guy is running out saying, ‘Stop! Drop what you’re holding! Neighbors, he’s trying to start a fire! Call 911!’"

Grinshpun reports seeing a man with a 'propane tank or a flamethrower' and explains a group of locals then rallied together and followed the man, catching him and even zip-tying him to prevent him from doing anything or running off before authorities arrived at the scene.

Another resident told FOX 11: "He was very, like, 'I can't stop. I can't stop. I'm not putting this down. I'm doing this'. And [he was] very focused on moving forward with the blow torch. And we're like, 'We can't be doing that right now.'"

Senior lead officer Charles Dinsel confirmed a man has been arrested, videos from the scene showing authorities apprehending him.

Five fires are sweeping through California (Apu Gomes/Getty Images)

The investigation

An LAPD spokesperson told The Telegraph: "About 20 to 30 minutes later a suspect was detained over in Woodland Hills area by citizens. It is being investigated as a crime."

It's now being investigated whether the suspect is connected to any of the fires currently causing devastation across Los Angeles.

The Telegraph reports it's being considered whether or not the suspect is connected to the Kenneth Fire which has been raging in the West Hills, burning over 950 acres of land and forcing residents to evacuate, officials reportedly questioning whether one of the fires is actually the result of a possible arson attack.

At the time of writing, nearly 30,000 acres of Los Angeles has been attacked by fires, five massive fires raging on, the death toll as a result of the fires having risen to 10 and is expected as rising further.

LADbible Group has contacted Los Angeles Police Department Topanga Community Police Station for comment.

You can support those affected by the fires by donating to the Red Cross online, by calling (800) 733-2767 or texting REDCROSS to 90999.

If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].