ANTIOCH (BCN) — A man suspected of starting a fire with a discarded cigarette in June that burned several Antioch homes was arrested this morning by fire and police investigators, according to a Contra Costa Fire Protection District spokesman.
David Chun, 37, was arrested at 12:30 p.m. at a Best Buy store in Pleasant Hill where he was working, Fire Marshal Robert Marshall said.
Prosecutors filed three counts of reckless burning against Chun about a month ago for allegedly tossing the smoldering cigarette out of the window of a home in the 900 block of Burwood Way on June 25.
The fire quickly spread through dry vegetation to engulf about three acres, burn three homes badly, damage the exteriors of several others and ultimately result in about $650,000 in damage before being extinguished, Marshall said.
“There were some winds that day and we had multiple fires that day in the east part of the county,” Marshall said. “This was like the third or fourth fire in a 90-minute period and we had more after that.” “It was not a good day,” Marshall said.
“It was not a good day,” Marshall said.