Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con Fire) today announced fire investigators made an arrest yesterday in relation to a fireworks caused fire behind apartments in the 1700-block of Hargrove Street in Antioch that destroyed eight units and displaced 40 residents.
James Sossaman, 44, an Antioch resident, was arrested for Unlawfully Causing a Fire to Inhabited Structures and for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
The blaze, which started as a grass fire, occurred on May 31 just after 5:30 p.m.
Upon arrival, firefighters said the grass fire had already extended from the grass into a two-story apartment complex and a second-alarm response was ordered. An aggressive fire attack followed in an attempt to slow the spread of fire.
Through witness interviews and surveillance videos, investigators located the person they say is responsible for the grass fire and determined it was caused by Sossaman throwing an M-100 pyrotechnic device into the field behind the apartment complex.
Sossaman was also found to be on felony probation. During a search of his apartment, a loaded firearm was located along with several other illegal fireworks.
The fire displaced 40 residents and the American Red Cross assisted with housing for those displaced.
No firefighters were injured. Two civilians were transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation.
Arsonists should be charged with attempted murder beside arson.
Exactly. Life, no parole. They never change.
+1 …. wanna bet he’ll get a slap on the wrist and will be released very quickly.. no $$ bail.. and he’ll do it again
How long before the leftist DA released him?
,,,, Thursday at the latest I bet
If he’s a person if color, right away. Because that’s social justice and BLM above all and everything.
Tweekers gonna tweek!
Ahhh your democrat pro arsonists on display
The dem politicians want the state to burn
It pushes the green scam and taxes up and racism tactics
Problem is no one cares until it hits them in the face
And dem voters are fine with dem politicians getting rich off of us hard workers
Because …..errrr
What does a dem voter get for backing corruption and racist theories and over taxing for roads that never get fixed just patched and bussing to lower education across the board and pushing for criminals to come first and the weiner wanting to legalize abuse of children and increased politicians bank accounts and de slacker using tax money for his personal picnics and the newscum making his winery first in line for ppp loans in the 10ns of millions he obviously never intends to pay back
In other words, if this guy had been in prison (as he should have been) this fire would never have happened. Gavin bin Lyin is making the homeless crisis something everyone can take part in.
Life imprisonment without parole. We need quicker courts and stiffer sentencing. Capital punishment when handed out with a maximum of 2 years for defense before execution. Fast, fast, and faster!
Wait a minute…I thought felons were not to be in possession of a firearm. I’m sure it was a misunderstanding on his part. Luckily Diane will drop all charges.
Continuing to make rational, thoughtful decisions while on Felony probation.
So how many chances is it these days 7, 9, 15 ? ? ?
And the TV news report forgot to say anything about the loaded gun. Who would have thought the OPEN and HONEST news would have missed that little fact.
The media, owned by 5 conglomerates, each of the conglomerates headed by a person of a certain group. They are not news, they are literal enemy propaganda.
Glad to see Claycord include Antioch…very rare.