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Jan 20, 2007 12:34 pm US/Pacific
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Possible Revenge Fire Guts Carson House
CARSON, Calif. (CBS) ―
An apparent arson fire gutted a house in Carson Saturday morning, possibly as an act of revenge for a gang-related shooting that occurred there two months ago, authorities said.
Firefighters were called at 12:47 a.m. to the scene at 445 East 229th Street, according to Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Pierre Nadeau of the Carson Station. The fire was put out by 1:05 a.m. and wrought $200,000 damage to the property.
Sheriff's arson investigators found a gas container, spout and crowbar at the scene, Nadeau said. In addition, the fire started at multiple points, suggesting that it was deliberately set, he said.
"I think it's probably to punish the owner of the house," Nadeau said.
In Nov. 2006, the house's owner, a suspected narcotics dealer, shot at a group of people in front of the house, one of whom died, Nadeau said. The victims were apparently members of the Mexican Mafia, known as "EME," and had come to collect "taxes" on the narcotics he was allegedly selling, he said.
The victims were armed, and the shooting was determined to be an act of self-defense, Nadeau said. The homeowner ended up leaving the area with his family, he said.
In December 2006, the house was torched for the first time, Nadeau said.
The extent of the damage done in that fire was not immediately clear, he said.
Both fires were believed to be related to the shooting, Nadeau said.
Two firefighters suffered minor injuries while battling the morning's blaze, but neither needed to be hospitalized, according to the fire department.
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)