Fresno business feeling relieved after investigators arrest arson suspect

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- On Monday, investigators with the Fresno Fire Department arrested 18-year-old Alfred Sosa. Sosa is accused of starting 2 dumpster fires, little than a fractional mile distant from each other.

One occurrence started astatine the Peerless Building successful downtown aboriginal Friday morning. Then connected Sunday nighttime astatine the Valley Foods connected Van Ness Avenue successful Central Fresno.

Investigators identified Alfred Sosa aft a comparative recognized him successful the footage.

"Once we got that surveillance video, we were capable to reappraisal that and get a basal statement of the suspect," said Jay Tracy, the Deputy Fire Marshal with the Fresno Fire Department.

On the broadside of the Valley Foods store, determination is simply a charred partition near down by the flames.

The manager of Valley Foods spoke with Action News off-camera. He said he's seen Sosa astatine the store respective times before.

He's grateful the occurrence was enactment retired rapidly and didn't origin immoderate further damage.

"It didn't get into the interior of the operation and didn't interaction immoderate of the foods oregon thing similar that," said Tracy.

According to the Fresno Fire Department, successful 2023, fires caused $46.7 cardinal dollars successful damage. About $7 cardinal of that harm was linked to arson.

Tracy explains that a idiosyncratic tin acceptable disconnected a occurrence for assorted reasons.

"There's others that mightiness acceptable occurrence for excitement, being bored, having clip connected their hands and a lighter successful the different one," said Tracy, "I would accidental this 1 astir apt fits much into that case."

The occurrence shattered a model astatine the Peerless Building, connected to the Blue Dolphin Workshop.

Robert Taylor, who works inside, said portion they had immoderate fume damage, their costly instrumentality was okay. Still, he's saddened to spot the historical gathering damaged.

"Fresno has a chill history, and buildings similar this are portion of it," said Taylor

Fresno's Fire Chief credits surveillance video and tips from the nationalist for helping them place and find Sosa.

"Our extremity is to drawback them instantly due to the fact that the question that we person is, 'When is the adjacent 1 coming?" said Chief Billy Alcorn.

"Every clip we person a gathering occurrence oregon a occurrence successful an occupied building, that's mislaid gross for those businesses."

Investigators volition beryllium putting a lawsuit unneurotic for the District Attorney's office.

Sosa could beryllium facing felony arson charges.

For quality updates, travel Ana Torrea connected Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.