A fire at an inhabited home in Spring Valley Tuesday is now being investigated as arson, the San Diego County Sheriff's said as they search for the man they believe to be a suspect.
The suspect in an arson fire at a home in Spring Valley is being sought Wednesday for suspicion of unlawfully and recklessly causing a fire to an inhabited structure, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department said.
The SDSO received a call around 4 a.m. from a resident who said their house in the 900 block of Sacramento Avenue was on fire, according to Sheriff's Bomb Arson Unit Detective Dan Wilson.
Deputies from the Rancho San Diego Sheriff's Station along with the San Miguel Fire Department responded to the location, Wilson said.
Get San Diego local news, weather forecasts, sports and lifestyle stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC San Diego newsletters.
Units arrived within minutes and found several small fires throughout several rooms in the home. The people inside the home were safely evacuated, the detective said.
The fire was determined to have started inside a bedroom of the residence, Wilson said. The cause of the fire was determined to be arson.
Detectives identified Sean Arkward as a suspect in the arson fire, Wilson said. Patrol deputies were unable to locate Arkward.
Local
Arkward is wanted on suspicion of unlawfully and recklessly causing a fire to an inhabited structure. He is a man described as being 6 feet, 3 inches tall, weighing 220 pounds, with brown eyes and short black hair.
Anyone with information on Arkward's whereabouts was asked to call the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at 888-580-8477. A reward of up to $1,000 was being offered for information that leads to an arrest.
