A suspected arsonist reportedly armed with a gun set a dumpster on fire at Melrose Avenue and Genesee Avenue Monday night, apparently taking off before police arrived.
Firefighters had to stage themselves at a distance while LAPD responded.
Engine 41 got the call around 10:09 p.m. for what dispatch said was a trash fire. Then things took a turn and got complicated. Someone told firefighters the person who they believe set it might still be there. And might have a gun.
“Metro, Engine 41, attach LAPD, according to a reporting party, there is a possible arsonist on scene of our incident, possibly wielding a gun,” the incident commander said over the radio at 10:16 p.m.
Crews staged at Gardner and Melrose. LAPD put out a description: male, purple tie-dye shirt, dark pants, setting fire to a dumpster in the alley.
He was apparently gone by the time cops showed up.
Fire Spreads to Building
The dumpster fire didn’t stay a dumpster fire. Flames spread quickly to the back of a commercial building.
What started as a trash fire got upgraded to a structure fire. Firefighters put it out by 10:48 p.m.
Engine 97 handled another dumpster fire about a block away at 8221 Melrose. Nobody knows yet if they’re connected.
This Keeps Happening
Last February saw a big jump in dumpster fires. The count went from four in February 2024 to 21 in February 2025, according to Fire Department data presented to the Public Safety Commission. The worst one hit 9010 Melrose Avenue. That fire jumped from a dumpster into the building and caused $300,000 in damage.
Assistant Fire Chief Drew Smith told commissioners it’s hard to prove intent. You don’t know if someone lit the fire on purpose “unless somebody is caught in the act,” he said.
What made Monday’s incident different? Someone actually spotted the suspect. First time that’s happened in awhile.
Longtime West Hollywood resident and Neighborhood Watch Captain for the Gelson Heights Neighborhood Watch Group, Edd Holman told WEHOonline “two additional fires were set in dumpsters in West Hollywood” Monday night. He said the locations included “the gas station at La Cienega and Holloway and the other at the strip mall at the corner of Flores St and Santa Monica. Blvd.”
It’s Happened Before
West Hollywood has seen this story before back in late 2011 and early 2012.
Harry Burkhart lived in West Hollywood and set fires all over the place. At least 47 of them across Hollywood, West Hollywood and the Valley. He went after cars mostly. Vehicles parked in carports and garages. He’d crawl under them in the dark and set the fires.
December 29, 2011, he set 21 fires. In just five hours. He kept going through New Year’s. The total damage was around $2 million.
Reserve Deputy Shervin Lalezary spotted his van at Sunset and Fairfax on January 2, 2012. When the deputy searched it, he found materials for starting fires. Burkhart went to trial and was convicted in 2016. After a sanity phase of the trial, he was sentenced to 33 years in 2018. In 2020, an appeals court ordered his case re-evaluated for a mental health diversion program, though his current status is unclear.
Monday’s suspect is still out there. The West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station is asking anyone with information to call (310) 855-8850.
This fire is not within the boundary of the City of West Hollywood. Rather, it is in Los Angeles.
It sounds like the city has another serial arsonist on its hand. If this is the case, I hope he is caught soon.I remember reading about the other arsonist from years ago. Thankfully, he was caught.
It was actually Sheriff’s Reserve Deputy Shervin Lalezary (an attorney)who noticed and arrested the arsonist on 2012
Why do I never see a police car patrolling, but see parking ticket folks constantly patrolling? Something happens though and 20 cars then come out of their offices, and a helicopter, that otherwise sit around all day. Our police force is soo poorly managed and wasteful. When they do catch someone they’re out on bond within 12-24 hours.
Two other fires were set in dumpsters in West Hollywood last evening, one at the gas station at La Cienega and Holloway and the other at the strip mall at the corner of Flores St and Santa Monica. Blvd.
Thanks Edd! We updated the story to include your note.