Man accused of setting fire to American flags at Long Beach homes

LONG BEACH, Calif. - A man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of setting fire to flags anchored on the porches of homes in Long Beach.

Firefighters were dispatched about 3:30 a.m. to a reported vehicle fire in the 2800 block of Iroquois Avenue, said Capt. Jack Crabtree of the Long Beach Police Department.

"We (firefighters) got on scene and calls came in of exterior fires on the same block," Crabtree said. "Multiple homes had exterior fires that were burning. Some were out before we arrived."

The vehicle fire – a convertible with a soft top – had been ignited initially by the burning of a flag at the Iroquois Avenue home, he said, adding that the vehicle fire was immediately extinguished.

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Details were still sketchy, fire investigators were called to the scene and, with the assistance of the Long Beach Police Department, a suspect was taken into custody about 4 p.m.

It was not immediately known how many flags had been set on fire. Authorities have yet to release the name of the suspect or where he was arrested.

It was also unclear what type of flags were burned.

Long Beach police urged anyone with information to call them at 562-570-7244.