Man Accused Of Setting 430-Acre Fire In Elverta Area That Burned 1 Home
ELVERTA (CBS13) — A man was arrested for setting a fast-moving fire on Monday that burned a home to ashes, along with irreplaceable memories.
David Petrashishen, 25, was booked into the Placer County Jail on suspicion of arson. He's believed to be a local transient.
Several homes were evacuated when the fire started in the Elverta area. Investigators say the fire was started in the middle of a large field and quickly spread into two counties and raced toward homes.
Neighbors rushed through thick, black smoke to save dozens of horses as the erratic, wind-whipped fire came within just feet of the stables.
"They are pinned in; we had to break the fence down to get them out and there's babies with mamas and they are not very well trained," said Laurie deCasper.
Sac Metro Fire says aircraft from the Lowell Fire up the hill were called in to help extinguish the flames. Nearby power lines proved to be a challenge for crews on the ground.
"Some power lines did get involved and eventually burned and came down which created safety concerns for our crews on scene," said Capt. Brian Gonsalves.
Crews weren't able to save Emmanuel Corpuz's parents' home or a half-dozen classic cars on his 10-acre property.
"It was sad; theres a lot of memories that were in there, things we can't get back, but it's things," he said. "No one was hurt; that's the main thing."
He's disappointed to hear the fire was intentionally set by a suspected arsonist.
"It's unfortunate they don't know the damage they can cause," he said.