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A homeless man allegedly trying to start a fire with a blowtorch was tackled and zip-tied by furious Los Angeles locals carrying out a citizen's arrest.
Locals claim the man was riding a bicycle around the Woodland Hills neighborhood on Thursday afternoon and carrying a large 'propane tank or a flamethrower'.
Community members claim they surrounded the man, brought him to the ground and detained him up with zip ties after they allegedly saw him trying to set fire to an object behind a vehicle.
One witness said the man was 'very focused on moving forward with the blow torch', telling FOX 11 the suspect said: 'I can't stop. I can't stop. I'm not putting this down. I'm doing this.'
Police were called to the 21700 block of Ybarra Road in Woodland Hills around 4.30pm, after the man was stopped.
Renata Grinshpun recalled how the community 'really banded together as a group'. She told KTLA: 'A few gentlemen surrounded him and got him on his knees. They got some zip ties, a rope and we were able to do a citizen's arrest.'
LAPD has confirmed the cause of the unruly Kenneth Fire, which erupted late Thursday afternoon in the San Fernando Valley and is rapidly tearing through the West Hills, is being investigated as a crime.
Authorities have one suspect in custody who is believed to have intentionally started a fire, but have not confirmed the person's identity. It is currently unclear whether the man detained by Woodland Hills locals was found to have any connection to the wildfires or if he has been formally charged.
This is the moment furious residents in the Woodland Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles tackled and zip-tied a homeless man who they allege was trying to start a fire with a blowtorch
The man is seen waving the blowtorch at a community member before he is apprehended
Los Angeles police are pictured taking a man into custody who locals allege was trying to start a fire in the Woodland Hills neighborhood on Thursday afternoon
One local said the man was 'very focused on moving forward with the blow torch'. The resident claims the suspect, pictured in police custody, said: 'I can't stop. I can't stop. I'm not putting this down. I'm doing this'
Fire crews battle the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills section of Los Angeles on Thursday
The citizen's arrest comes as outraged celebrities are blasting the suspect who allegedly started the catastrophic fires that have killed at least ten people and consumed more than 34,000 acres across Los Angeles.
Khloe Kardashian, whose famous family has donated $2,500 worth of meals to first responders, is among those leading the anger having taken to her Instagram Stories branding the individual as 'scum' and a 'sick mother f**ker'.
The Kenneth Fire, which sparked mass evacuations in Calabasas - home to the Kardashians - and the Hidden Hills is being investigated as an arson incident, with one suspect arrested.
The blaze is tearing through the West Hills at a rapid rate, with 900 exhausted first responders pulled from other high-priority infernos in southern California to protect homes and try to contain the fiery flames.
LAPD senior lead officer Charles Dinsel told NewsNation on Thursday that a suspect who is believed to have intentionally caused the unruly Kenneth Fire was in custody.
'About 20 to 30 minutes later a suspect was detained over in Woodland Hills area by citizens. It is being investigated as a crime,' Dinsel said.
The officer was asked directly if he believed the fire was set intentionally and he said: 'At this time, that's what we believe. Yes.'
Sources told DailyMail.com that a resident called 911 to report a male attempting to set a fire at the 21700 block of Ybarra Road at around 4.30pm.
The Kenneth Fire started late Thursday afternoon in the San Fernando Valley just two miles (3.2 kilometers) from a school serving as a shelter for evacuees from another fire. It moved into neighboring Ventura County but a large and aggressive response by firefighters stopped the flames from spreading
Amid the destruction sparked by the Pacific Palisades fire, the Happy Days icon, 79, took to X with an an incendiary message blaming foul play
Water is dropped by helicopter on the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills section of Los Angeles, Thursday, January 9, 2025
A firefighter monitors the advance of the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills section of Los Angeles, Thursday, January 9, 2025
'You sick mother f**kers!' Khloe Kardashian said of the suspected arsonist, adding, 'What the f**k is wrong with people?!?! Arson!!!! May you be fully prosecuted!!! What scum!!!'
Winkler's claims swiftly went viral with some fans pledging their support to him and others lambasting him for spreading panic
The suspect was arrested and taken to Topanga station. LAPD Drake Madison cautioned: 'We cannot confirm any connection to any fire at this time.'
Dinsel said there was no clear motive, adding that the area around Victory Trailhead is now being 'closed off' for further investigations and is being treated as a crime scene. The suspect is a homeless man in his 30s, according to the NY Post.
The alleged arsonist's arrest has fueled Hollywood A-listers' worst fears that their homes are being targeted.
Khloe Kardashian took to her Instagram Stories to share a clip from New Nation about the individual suspected of starting the blaze.
'You sick mother f**kers!' the reality TV star, 40, captioned the clip, adding: 'What the f**k is wrong with people?!?! Arson!!!! May you be fully prosecuted!!! What scum!!!'
Similarly, actor Henry Winkler took to social media to detail his outrage.
'THERE IS an ARSONIST here in LA,' Winkler, 79, wrote in a now-viral tweet. 'May you be beaten you unrecognizable!!! The pain you have caused!!!'
The Happy Days star's claims swiftly went viral with fellow celebs pledging their support.
Actress Alison Sweeney responded: 'Agreed.'
Singer Chris Brown also had his suspicions, writing: 'Someone starting these fires. S**t don't add up.'
TV personality Elizabeth Chambers also chimed in, telling her fans 'feels like this is a lot more than nature.'
After confirmation that a suspected arsonist had been arrested, Winkler updated his initial post, adding: 'One in custody so far.'
Winkler's claims swiftly went viral with some fans pledging their support to him and others lambasting him for spreading panic.
Khloe and her family have been aiding first responders bravely battling the devastating fires throughout the City of Angels
On Thursday, the Instagram page for Carousel Restaurant - an Armenian-Lebanese eatery - shared photos of meals they delivered to firefighters, funded by the Kardashian family
One photo showed a receipt with a total of $2,505.43 for the food order
A numbers of snaps shared by the restaurant saw happy firefighters holding boxes of food
Carousel, an Armenian with locations in both Glendale and Hollywood, is a Kardashian/Jenner family favorite
The family received a thumbs up from grateful first responders
The restaurant has been featured many times on Keeping Up With The Kardashians over the years, with the famous family often talking about how they visited it as children with the late Robert Kardashian
Although Kardashian didn't mince her words after finding out about the arrest, she and her family are seemingly focused on helping others during this tragic time.
The Instagram page for Carousel Restaurant — an Armenian-Lebanese eatery — shared photos of meals they delivered to firefighters, funded by the Kardashian family.
Carousel, with locations in both Glendale and Hollywood, is a Kardashian/Jenner family favorite.
A number of photos shared by the restaurant saw happy firefighters holding boxes of food. Another snap saw food containers on a table with a receipt that showed the total for the meal order came to $2,505.43
'We proudly delivered meals to several fire stations today. Thank you to the frontline members for your dedication to your communities. A special thank you to the Kardashian family for funding the meals—your generosity knows no bounds.'
The restaurant tagged her sisters Kim Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, her brother Rob Kardashian and their mom Kris Jenner.
Khloe reshared the post to her Stories, writing, 'My family and I wanted to feed a few fire houses today and we couldn't think of a better restaurant to reach out to other then @carouselrestaurant. Our favorite Armenian restaurant!'
'They whipped up hundreds of individual meals for so many firefighters, volunteers, first responders, and we could not be more thankful! Thank you for putting your lives on the line for all of us!'
The restaurant has been featured many times on Keeping Up With The Kardashians over the years, with the famous family often talking about how they visited it as children with the late Robert Kardashian.
Robert, who had Kim, Kourtney, Khloe and Rob with Kris, died on September 30, 2003 at age 59 from esophageal cancer.
The ruins of a burned property in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire on Thursday
A firefighter protects a beach-front property while fighting the Palisades Fire on Thursday
A plume of smoke from a wildfire forms over the city's basin on Thursday
A beach-front property is burned by the Palisades Fire
Firefighters look over a home after the Eaton Fire burns in Altadena, Calif., Thursday
A man searches though his destroyed home after the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., Thursday
Fire crews battle the Eaton Fire as it impacts a structure Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 in Altadena, CA
The two biggest wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area have killed at least 10 people and burned more than 10,000 homes and other structures, officials said as they urged more people to heed evacuation orders after a new blaze ignited and quickly grew.
The Kenneth Fire started in the late Thursday afternoon in the San Fernando Valley just 2 miles from a school serving as a shelter for evacuees from another fire.
It moved into neighboring Ventura County but a large and aggressive response by firefighters stopped the flames from spreading.
About 400 firefighters remained on scene overnight to guard against the fire flaring up.
Only hours before the Kenneth Fire roared to life officials expressed encouragement after firefighters aided by calmer winds and help from crews from outside the state saw the first signs of successfully beating back the region's two devastating wildfires.
The Eaton Fire near Pasadena that started Tuesday night has burned more than 5,000 structures, a term that includes homes, apartment buildings, businesses, outbuildings and vehicles.
Firefighters were able to establish the first bit of containment Thursday.
To the west in Pacific Palisades, the largest of the fires burning in the LA area has destroyed over 5,300 structures and firefighters had no containment.
A VW van sits among burned out homes, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Malibu, California
Water is dropped by helicopter on the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills section of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025
Robert Karban fills a bucket with water from a swimming pool to put out hot spots at a home destroyed by the Eaton fire, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Altadena, California
Lissa Renn looks at remains of her neighborhood In Altadena, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025
All of the major fires that have broken out this week are located in a roughly 25-mile band north of downtown Los Angeles, spreading a sense of fear and sadness across the nation's second-largest city. No cause has been identified for the largest fires.
Several weather monitoring agencies announced Friday that Earth recorded its hottest year ever in 2024. 'Hurricane Helene, floods in Spain and the weather whiplash fueling wildfires in California are symptoms of this unfortunate climate gear shift,' University of Georgia meteorology professor Marshall Shepherd said.
The level of devastation is jarring even in a state that has grown used to massive wildfires.
A large portion of scenic Pacific Palisades has been obliterated. Dozens of blocks in the seaside neighborhood were flattened to smoldering rubble.
In neighboring Malibu, blackened palm strands were all that was left above debris where oceanfront homes once stood.
At least five churches, a synagogue, seven schools, two libraries, boutiques, bars, restaurants, banks and groceries were burned. So too were the Will Rogers' Western Ranch House and Topanga Ranch Motel, local landmarks dating to the 1920s.
The government has not yet released figures on the cost of the damage or specifics about how many structures burned.
AccuWeather, a private company that provides data on weather and its impact, on Thursday increased its estimate of the damage and economic loss to $135-$150 billion.
Firefighters look out over the Kenneth Fire, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in the West Hills section of Los Angeles, California
Robert Lara, left, looks for belongings along with his stepfather after the Eaton Fire burns in Altadena, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025
Firefighters extinguish burning embers at a house on Santa Rosa Avenue, also known as Christmas Tree Lane, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Altadena, California
Paul Perri searches through his daughter's fire-ravaged property in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Altadena, California
Ari Rivera, right, and Anderson Hao hold each other in front of their destroyed home in Altadena, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025
Homes are seen burned while a few still stand, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in the Pacific Palisades section of Los Angeles
Firefighters made significant gains Thursday at slowing the spread of the major fires, but containment remained far out of reach.
Crews also knocked down a blaze in the Hollywood Hills with the help of water drops from aircraft, allowing an evacuation to be lifted Thursday. The fire that sparked late Wednesday near the heart of the entertainment industry came perilously close to igniting the famed Hollywood Bowl outdoor concert venue.
Earlier in the week, hurricane-force winds blew embers, that ignited hillsides.
Right now, it's impossible to quantify the extent of the destruction other than 'total devastation and loss,' said Barbara Bruderlin, head of the Malibu Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce.
'There are areas where everything is gone, there isn't even a stick of wood left, it's just dirt,' Bruderlin said.
Of the 10 deaths so far, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley confirmed two were in the Palisades Fire. County officials said the Eaton Fire had killed five. Cadaver dogs and crews are searching through rubble to see if there are more victims.
Two of the dead were Anthony Mitchell, a 67-year-old amputee, and his son, Justin, who had cerebral palsy. They were waiting for an ambulance to come and did not make it to safety when the flames roared through, Mitchell's daughter, Hajime White, told The Washington Post.
Shari Shaw told KTLA that she tried to get her 66-year-old brother, Victor Shaw, to evacuate Tuesday night but he wanted to stay and fight the fire. Crews found his body with a garden hose in his hand.
A firefighter sets a backburn in front of the advancing Kenneth Fire in the West Hills section of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025
Beach front properties are left destroyed by the Palisades Fire, in this aerial view, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 in Malibu, California
Glenda, who declined to give her last name, stands near the entrance of her home destroyed by the Eaton fire Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Altadena, California
Nancy Belanger pours water on a neighbor's fire-ravaged property in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025
Homes bordering the Pacific Ocean are burned to the ground in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025
On Thursday, recovery crews pulled a body from rubble of what was a beachfront residence in Malibu. A charred washer and dryer were among the few things that remained identifiable in the home along the Pacific Coast Highway.
At least 180,000 people were under evacuation orders, and the fires have consumed about 45 square miles, which is roughly the size of San Francisco. The Palisades Fire is already the most destructive in Los Angeles' history.
All schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation's second largest, will be closed again Friday because of the heavy smoke wafting over the city and ash raining down in parts.
At least 20 arrests have been made for looting. The city of Santa Monica, which is next to Pacific Palisades, declared a curfew because of the lawlessness, officials said.
National Guard troops arrived in Los Angeles on Thursday evening. They'll be stationed near fire-ravaged areas to protect property.
Many celebrities live in areas devastated by fire. Among those who lost their homes were Billy Crystal, Mandy Moore and Paris Hilton.
Jamie Lee Curtis pledged $1million to start a 'fund of support' for those affected by the fires that touched all economic levels from the city's wealthy to its working class.
Shane Torre douses hot spots of what remains of his home In Altadena, Calif., Thursday
From left, Rob Ramsey, Christina Larson and Larson's husband Chris, the co-owner of the Rancho Bar, look through the ruins of the Rancho Bar a day after it was destroyed by the Eaton Fire, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Altadena, California
A helicopter flies over the Kenneth Fire, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in the West Hills section of Los Angeles, California
Two people hold hands while sifting through a fire-ravage property in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 in Altadena, California
An emergency vehicle drives through a neighborhood devastated by the Eaton Fire, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Altadena, California
Beach front properties are left destroyed by the Palisades Fire, in this aerial view, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 in Malibu, California
The devastation from the Palisades Fire is seen from the air in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025
Fire crews battle the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills section of Los Angeles, Thursday
California's wildfire season is beginning earlier and ending later due to rising temperatures and decreased rainfall tied to climate change, according to recent data.
Dry winds, including the notorious Santa Anas, have contributed to warmer-than-average temperatures in Southern California, which has not seen more than 0.1 inches of rain since early May.
Robert Lara sifted through the remains of his home in Altadena on Thursday with tears in his eyes, hoping to find a safe containing a set of earrings that once belonged to his great-great-grandmother.
'All our memories, all our sentimental attachments, things that were gifted from generation to generation to generation are now gone,' he said.
