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Fire leaves families without shelter

An early-morning fire left two Sunnyvale families without homes June 10, after fire fighters doused an apartment building and carport in the 1200 block of W. Washington Avenue to put out the blaze.

No one was injured in the fire that caused $120,000 worth of property damage.

Though the fire took place at an apartment building and is "suspicious in nature," said Capt. Doug LaMar, the fire is not the work of the serial arson-burglar officials are currently searching for.

"We ruled out any relation early on," LaMar said. "It is not connected in the string," he emphasized.

LaMar said the fire is still under investigation and arson has not been eliminated as a possible cause.

Fire investigators believe the June 10 blaze began just after 6 a.m. inside a parked automobile in the carport.

The fire spread, officials said, causing $80,000 worth of structural damage and $30,000 worth of contents damage.

The fire engulfed a vacant apartment above the automobile and severely damaged two other units, displacing two families.

Sunnyvale has been the target of four arson-burglaries in the past nine months. Officials believe the suspect is responsible for 14 fire-robberies in six different cities in Santa Clara County.

--Justin Berton

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, June 17, 1998.
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