CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, and the City of Moreno Valley have concluded the Veterans Memorial arson investigation after a suspicious fire was reported at Moreno Valley Civic Center on Saturday, March 19, 2022.
The Veterans Memorial fire was reported at approximately 5:00 a.m. and was quickly extinguished by Moreno Valley Firefighters. The fire was initially thought to be arson based on several factors: location, time of day, type of memorial, recent arson fires in the City, and an eyewitness report indicating that an individual was seen on the premises before the fire began. An arson investigation was opened to determine the cause.
Based upon a thorough review of all the evidence, arson investigators concluded the fire was accidental and the cause to be damaged electrical equipment.
"During our investigation, an eyewitness identified a suspect that was spotted near the memorial before the fire began," said Moreno Valley Fire Chief Jesse Park. "Security footage also revealed an unknown subject to be in the area, but we could not connect the individual to this fire or other arson fires in the community. We will continue to investigate fire incidents thoroughly because the safety of our community is paramount."
"We are thankful for the outpouring of community support for our veterans, and I am comforted to know that this fire is likely not the result of vandalism," said Dr. Yxstian Gutierrez, Mayor of Moreno Valley. "The thought that someone would intentionally commit such a heinous act against our veterans has kept me up at night. I want to thank the Riverside County Sheriff's Department and CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department arson investigators for their hard work to resolve this matter. Now, we can finish restoring our memorial to its original condition."
Although the investigation is complete, the City asks anyone with information about the incident to contact the Riverside County Sheriff's Department at 951.486.6700 or CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department at 951.940.6900. The City of Moreno Valley contracts with CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department for fire services.
The restored Veterans Memorial will host Moreno Valley's upcoming Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 30, 2022.
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