A Match to Remember

This episode of Hot Pursuit features a case investigated by Investigator McCulloch with the Orange County Fire Authority. The incident took place in April 2022, around 3:00 a.m. in the morning, when a vehicle fire was reported in a Walmart parking lot in Lake Forest. The fire was initially reported as a commercial structure fire, but upon arrival it was in fact a vehicle fire. Firefighters from Engine 54 responded and found that the fire damage was not in the engine compartment, which was unusual, so they called in fire investigators. Investigators arrived on scene and found long stem fireplace matches at the scene. This episode highlights the importance of eliminating bias in investigations and the challenges of understanding the motives behind arson. Let’s listen to see who the suspect could be!