Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

PASADENA - A dog did not survive a very destructive house fire Saturday.

Three properties were damaged by the fire in the 1000 block of East Bell Street November 9. First responders were sent to the home just after 1:30 p.m. November 9. No people were injured, according to the Pasadena Fire Department.

The one of the properties that burned is a total loss.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

PASADENA - No injuries were reported after a fire engulfed a vacant house Thursday night.

Firefighters successfully extinguish flames within 25 minutes arriving to the 700 block of East Villa Street, preventing the spread of fire to nearby trees and homes. First responders were sent to the house around 7:39 p.m., according to the Pasadena Police Department.

“The residence was found to be vacant, having been boarded up, and no occupants were discovered inside. Given the circumstances, an Arson Investigator promptly arrived at the scene,” according to the Pasadena Police Department in a written statement.

Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Pasadena Police Department at 626-744-4241. Remain anonymous by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

PASADENA – Investigators believe a Houston, Texas man is behind a series of suspicious fires that all burned in close proximity to each other and over the course of one hour.

David William Powell, 40, is accused arson and attempted murder. He is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility on Los Angeles ahead of a scheduled appearance in Pasadena Municipal Court October 19.

Powell is believed to have ignited two very destructive residential fires, two smaller fires and used a hammer to attack a man October 17, authorities said.

The first destructive fire was dispatched at 5:41 p.m. in the 300 block of North Chester Avenue. The fire was located in a detached garage housing two vehicles. The fire extended into an adjacent apartment, according to Lisa Derderian, City Public Information Officer for Pasadena.

Around 6 p.m., firefighters then reported a fire burning one block east and discovered a residential structure well-involved with fire near Holliston Avenue and Corson Street, Derderian said in a written statement.

The Chester fire was quickly knocked down. The Holliston fire was knocked down in nearly 18 minutes. No one was home at the time, but the fire displaced all residents, Derderian said.

A third, but smaller, fire was reported and extinguished at a construction site just before 7 p.m. in the 700 block of East Walnut Street. Another small fire was reported and extinguished in the 1800 block of Locust Street just before 8 p.m., authorities said.

While the first two fires burned, Pasadena Police also responded to Allen Avenue and Corson Street to investigate an assault and found a man in his 50s suffering from major injuries allegedly caused in a hammer attack. The suspect fled in an SUV, authorities said.

Police saw a suspicious SUV near the fourth fire and attempted to stop the driver possibly linked to the hammer attack. The driver fled and ran briefly, but was caught. Police seized evidence allegedly linking Powell to the hammer attack and fires.

Damage caused in the Chester fire is estimated at $50,000. The fire damage on Holliston is estimated at $200,000 to the structure and $100,000 in contents, Derderian said.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

PASADENA - Two firefighters received minor injuries after attacking a blaze that displaced 50 residents and an apartment complex December 18.

The fire burned at 1127 E. Del Mar Blvd. Friday night. Five units were damaged by fire and five units received water damage, according to the City of Pasadena.

The three-alarm fire was dispatched to firefighters at 10:41 p.m., according to Pasadena Fire Department.

Firefighters remained on scene for nearly 12 hours during the investigation.

The 50 displaced residents reportedly were able to seek temporary shelter with nearby family and friends, the City of Pasadena said.

The injured firefighters were briefly hospitalized.

The cause is under investigation.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
​CityWatch Editor

PASADENA - Good Samaritans attempted to evacuate people trapped by flames in an apartment fire that claimed the life of a young child Wednesday.

The fire burned at 169 E. Washington Blvd. just before 2 p.m. Two first floor units were heavily damaged by fire and a second story unit was damaged by smoke, according to Lisa Derderian, City of Pasadena spokeswoman.

The conditions of the mother and child were not divulged.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

PASADENA - Red Flag parking restrictions will go into effect at 8 a.m. today, officials said.

Pasadena Fire Chief Bertral Washington ordered Red Flag Parking restrictions to start Friday, October 25 and will be in effect until further notice, officials said.

The restrictions are necessary to allow fire department vehicle access to urban wildlife areas with narrow streets and to allow for quicker evacuations, officials said.

Extra fire patrols will also be added to the city’s foothill areas.

Visit the City of Pasadena website to see a map of affected areas.

PASADENA - Firefighters are extinguishing a one-acre brush fire in the foothills of Pasadena Thursday.

No structures are threatened by the fire in the 2100 block of North Kinneloa Canyon Road July 11. As many as two helicopters and a number of ground crews were called to the fire, which was reported around 10:18 a.m.

PASADENA - A fire is burning inside a Burger King restaurant, firefighters report.

The fire is burning at the restaurant, 622 S. Fair Oaks Ave., and was dispatched to firefighters at 9:44 p.m. A helicopter overhead reported to firefighters that smoke and flames were seen shooting from a roof vent, according to Pasadena Fire Department radio traffic.

The flames may be contained to the vent alone, firefighters said.

UPDATE - Police have opened up South Raymond Avenue after it was shut down for a fire department investigation.

PASADENA - Firefighters are conducting a hazardous materials investigation in the 800 block of South Raymond Avenue.

Police have South Raymond blocked from Fillmore Street to Glenarm Street, according to the Pasadena Police Department.

Firefighters were dispatched to the 800 block of South Raymond Avenue at 5:26 p.m.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

PASADENA - Firefighters declared a small vegetation fire knocked down after it scorched about two acres Saturday afternoon.

The bulk of the fire was burning between the 210 and 710 freeways. The point of origin may have been inside a transient camp located between the mentioned freeways, according to Pasadena Fire Department radio traffic.

Lane closures remain in effect.

The westbound 210 freeway to the southbound 710 freeway, walnut on ramp and Fair Oaks on ramp to the westbound 210 remains closed, as well as the northbound 710 on ramp from California, according to officer Elizabeth Kravig of the California Highway Patrol.

A Los Angeles County Fire Department helicopter was summoned for water drops, but the helicopter was no longer needed.