Fire Department Arrests Man for Arson in Sunday’s Manzanita Avenue Fire

The Pasadena Fire Investigator along with police arrested a man today for one count of arson in connection with house fire in the 800 block of Manzanita Avenue reported last Sunday morning.

Fire officials said Howard Victor Littleton, 39, was arrested for intentionally setting a fire in an inhabited structure where six additional tenants were sleeping during the time of the incident.

Pasadena Fire units responding at about 7:35 a.m. Sunday reported light smoke visible from a window on the second floor of a 2-story house with one person, the suspect Littleton, hanging out of the window.

Additional fire crews arrived on scene simultaneously and initiated rescue of the victim at the window.

The fire was confined to one room on the second floor. The fire was extinguished with a water fire extinguisher.

Paramedics provided treatment and transport of Littleton to local hospital. There were no other victims.

A subsequent investigation identified Littleton as having intentionally set the fire, investigators said. An arrest warrant was issued and he was arrested upon his release from the hospital today.

Littleton was booked into the Pasadena Jail, and was transported to Men’s Central Jail. He is awaiting arraignment and being held on $250,000.00 bail.

Damage to the home is estimated at $1,500, authorities said.