Arson investigators in Los Angeles County, Calif., said five men have been arrested in connection with a brush fire that destroyed 53 homes.

Officials with the Los Angeles district attorney's office said each of the suspects arrested Thursday has been charged with felony counts of recklessly causing a fire resulting in great bodily injury and recklessly causing a fire to an inhabited structure stemming from the Nov. 24 incident, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday.

Investigators said they believe the suspects had built an illegal late-night campfire near a cave when the brush fire broke out and spread. Authorities were led to the suspects, who range in age from 18 to 27, when they tracked a debit card used to purchase items found at the scene of the campfire.

The fire, which burned through 4,900 acres, left six firefighters injured, including one who had a second-degree burn on his face.  // Copyright 2007 by United Press International



Publication date: 14 December 2007   

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