Fireworks Blamed After Fire Rips Through Residential Garage in Pasadena; Man and 13-Year-Old Son Cited

Police cited two people after a firework sparked a fire that gutted a residential garage in Pasadena early Friday, authorities said.

The fire was first reported about 3:30 a.m. at a home at Buckeye Street and El Molino Avenue.

Firefighters arrived to find the garage of a two-story home engulfed in flames, according to city spokeswoman Lisa Derderian.

They extinguished the blaze in about 30 minutes, she said. No one was inside the garage at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported.

The heat from the fire damaged siding on a neighboring home, as well as the paint of several nearby cars, officials said.

The garage had flammable liquids stored inside, but no electrical hookups, Derderian said.

Witnesses reported hearing fireworks going off, she said.

“San Marino’s Arson investigator responded and believed the cause was likely a result of a smoldering firework that landed on the roof of the structure,” Derderian said.

Police searched the area and found firework debris nearby.

Investigators soon discovered fireworks nearby and began interviewing neighbors, Pasadena police Lt. Anthony Russo said.

The investigations soon led them to the nearby home of a 45-year-old man and his 13-year-old son, who had been setting off fireworks around 9 p.m., the lieutenant said.

Both were issued misdemeanor citations for unlawfully starting a fire, he said. “They were cooperative.”

The fire caused significant damage, but the results could have been worse, officials said.

“No one was injured or permanently displaced as a result of the fire and no occupied structures were damaged,” Derderian said.

All fireworks, including those designated “Safe & Sane,” are illegal in Pasadena.