SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Fire officials are searching for a person of interest connected to an arson investigation in south Sacramento. Both residents and businesses say they're fed up with the number of fires they witness in South Sacramento.
The aftermath of a fire at a Florin Shopping Center in South Sacramento caught the attention of resident Joseph Palecek over the weekend.
"We were probably half a block away, I'm going hmm smells like some kind of fire somewhere," said Palecek. "Then we got up to it and I go oh wow."
According to Sacramento Metro Fire, crews responded to several nuisance fires this past Friday night and early Saturday morning. They were found in the area of Stockton Boulevard and Florin Road.
And more fires nearby on Orange Avenue which they say is within a homeless encampment.
"We had multiple fires throughout the night," said Capt. Parker Wilbourn with Sacramento Metro Fire. "And these fires were although small, they have the potential to grow and impact businesses and residential communities where lives are at stake."
Fire officials say they have a person of interest in the arson investigation that they need the public's help locating.
"We are suspecting that he is unhoused," said Wilbourn.
What is certain is there's concern among the community if more fires are set.
"The next thing that they'll do is find something bigger and bigger," said Palecek. "Get the businesses in the area which you know it's hard enough for them to make money as it is. And possibly in the neighborhood here and burn up a house, which we don't need that."
Wilbourn says that's why they're trying to question this man. They want to find out the facts and find a way to prevent this from happening.
"There's frustration with the community," Wilbourn said. "Both in the business side and the residential side because we've seen how these fires impact our people and we want to be a part of the solution. If we can make a difference and stop these fires and get the people who are starting them off the streets. It's better for our community."
