Local authorities have released videos of two men who were walking around the vicinity when the massive Los Angeles fire broke out and engulfed an entire apartment building in the city last week as investigators continue their search for possible suspects.
The two men caught on the surveillance video are not persons of interest, local authorities clarify. But they would want to invite the two for questioning to gather evidence and answers as to who or what might have caused the disaster.
"It is purely someone we are seeking to interview as an investigative lead," Thomas Mangan, spokesman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said.
In one video, a man in black pants, black jacket wearing a black and white baseball cap, was caught around the fence of the burning apartment building. Another video shows another guy who was in a #21 football jersey along with a baseball cap and a backpack.
The fire, which broke out close to 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 8, did not only burn down an apartment building in construction, but also cracked windows of nearby buildings. Those who have witnessed the incident described it as if there was a bomb explosion. The blaze also affected the L.A. Department of Water and Power.
Fires like this don't typically happen by accident, authorities on the scene said. This kind of incident is often considered as a criminal fire, Capt. Jaime Moore said in an interview.
No one was injured during the fire according to reports, mainly because the apartment building was still in construction and there were no residents yet. The L.A. Fire Department (LAFD) was able to control the fire and put out most of it in 90 minutes. Two hundred fifty firefighters responded to the incident.
