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San Rafael Police Department

San Rafael Police Department

For Immediate Release

Author: Sergeant Justin Graham #494
Date: May 07, 2020 12:50 PM
Case Number: SR20-03152

*UPDATE* Series of Fires Being Investigated as Arson; Person of Interest has been Located

San Rafael, CA – The San Rafael Police have located James Thomas Duffy.  The case is still being actively investigated.  More information will follow.

This morning the San Rafael Police Department and the San Rafael Fire Department responded to a series of fires in the Canal Neighborhood that appear to be arson related.  SRPD and SRFD are investigating the case along with arson investigators from the Marin County Fire Investigation Team.

Starting at 5:17 AM, SRPD received the first 911 call regarding a series of fires in the Canal Neighborhood of San Rafael.  The first fire was reported in the area Hoag Street and Canal Street.  Police officers and the San Rafael Fire Department arrived to find a dumpster on fire that had also spread to a nearby vehicle.  No one was injured.

At 5:24 AM, another 911 call was received reporting a dumpster fire in the unit block of Mill Street.  Officers and the fire department arrived and the fire was extinguished.  The fire was isolated to just the dumpster.

At 5:28 AM, a 911 call was received reporting a fire in the unit block of Canal Street.  The fire was a small debris fire and was quickly extinguished.

At 5:31 AM, a 911 call was received reporting a small debris fire in the area of Canal Street and Larkspur Street.  That fire was extinguished.

At 5:45 AM, Officers responded to a request for a welfare check at an apartment complex in the area of Medway Road and Canal Street.  Officers arrived on the scene and a neighboring tenant reported smelling smoke from the apartment where the welfare check was requested.  Officers found that the front door was warm to the touch and observed smoke coming from the roofline.  The San Rafael Fire Department responded and was able to isolate and extinguish the fire to just the single unit.  No one was found inside and no one was injured.  The apartment complex had been evacuated as a precaution and people were allowed back into their respective apartments once the fire was under control.  No one was displaced.

At 5:49 AM, another 911 call was received reporting a dumpster fire near a supermarket in the 300 block of Bellam Boulevard.  That fire was quickly extinguished and was localized to just the dumpster.

This investigation is active and ongoing.

# # #

Posted: May 07, 2020 12:50 PDT by Sergeant Justin Graham #494


Updated: May 07, 2020 12:55 PDT by Justin Graham

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