2 fires at commercial properties being investigated as arson, officials say

KOVR

By Brandon Downs

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    LODI, California (KOVR) — Crews are investigating two fires at commercial properties in Lodi as arson, including a four-alarm fire, officials said Sunday evening.

Fire crews with the Lodi Fire Department responded to a fire along N. Sacramento Street early Sunday morning where a commercial building was fully engulfed. That fire grew to a second alarm and no one was injured.

Later in the day, they responded to a fire at Pacific Coast Producers off S Stockton Street near Maple Street. Fire crews said the fire started in a pallet stack before it was upgraded to a four-alarm fire and produced heavy smoke.

Crews said no injuries have been reported, though some firefighters had to be relieved due to heat exhaustion.

Multiple fire trucks dumped thousands of gallons of water on the fire before it was extinguished, crews said.

Later Sunday, police announced that they had arrested a suspect in connection to the Pacific Coast Producers fire: 41-year-old Stockton resident Francisco Castillo. He’s been booked on charges of arson, loitering, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

It’s unknown if the two fires are related at this point, crews said. They are both being investigated as arson by the Lodi Fire Department, Lodi Police Department and the San Joaquin County Investigation Unit.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the police department.

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