Authorities today are investigating the arson fire late Wednesday night in the lobby of the Planed Parenthood facility in Thousand Oaks.
The fire alarm sounded at 11:28 p.m. in the building at 1200 Hillcrest Drive, said Capt. Mike Lindbery of the Ventura County Fire Department, and only one engine responded because it was a commercial building and not a residence.
“When they arrived on scene, they found a window broken out and a fire sprinkler system functioning,” Lindbery said. “Upon further investigation, they discovered the smell of gasoline in the room, and it appeared a small fire had broken out and it had been extinguished by the sprinkler system.”
Firefighters shut off the sprinkler system and called the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, which is leading the investigation.
Investigators have a brief video of a suspect but they cannot tell if it was a man or woman.
“One suspect approached the clinic and used the rock to break the glass and tossed an accelerant inside and ignited it,” said Capt. John Reilly of the sheriff’s department.
“We have a brief video of someone walking by the location wearing a hoodie and face mask completely concealing (their) identity. Judging by the walk, they think it was a male.”
The broken window has been boarded up and a Planned Parenthood official said the office was closed but will open again, although no date was given, Reilly said.
The damage to the facility is still being assessed. Reilly said fire officials told him that the water from the sprinklers did more damage than the fire.
The fire comes as the organization is the focus of a contentious nationwide debate about government funding of Planned Parenthood.
This week Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards faced tough questions from Republicans at a congressional hearing about the organization’s business practices.
The battle broke out in July when videos were released by a group of anti-abortion activists who claimed Planned Parenthood has illegally profited from the sale of fetal tissue.
Wednesday night’s attack drew a sharp response from Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.
“The toxic rhetoric directed at Planned Parenthood has dangerous consequences. It sends a signal that using violence to close clinics and intimidate health care professionals and women is ‘OK.’ It is not,” she said in a statement.
“I’m grateful that no one in Thousand Oaks was hurt. My thoughts today are with the clinic’s staff, who provide compassionate care in spite of challenges no health care provider should have to face.”
Amy Everitt, state director at NARAL Pro-Choice California, also castigated the arson attack.
“This is domestic terrorism, plain and simple. Extremists who will stop at nothing to deny women legal abortion services. We have seen numerous examples of violence against abortion providers across the country over the last few years and we call on all, no matter what side of this debate you may fall on, to condemn this horrendous action.”
A fire apparently set on purpose at Carbondale’s Third Street Center early Wednesday may be linked to a fruitless bank break-in that also happened overnight. “The fire was suspicious in origin, and we don’t think it was accidental,” said Rob Goodwin, Carbondale and Rural Fire Protection District deputy chief.
Linda Taylor, executive director of the Center for Independence, based in Grand Junction, said officials told her that the fire at her organization’s Carbondale office was set on purpose.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation was helping Carbondale fire and police officials with the investigation.
In a twist, Police Chief Gene Schilling said authorities think the fire may be related to a break-in at the ANB Bank at 409 Dolores Way.
Here’s how the night unfolded
Firefighters and police responded at 1:30 a.m. to the Third Street Center, 520 S. Third, to find smoke coming from a window on the east side of the building. Audible alarms and flashing lights were going off, and a neighbor had already extinguished the fire before firefighters arrived.
“It was pretty much out, but the building was full of smoke” when the Fire Department got there, Goodwin said.
A couple hours later, at 3:55 a.m., police responded to an alarm at ANB Bank to find glass broken in both sets of entry doors.
“It appears that a suspect entered the bank but did not take anything,” police said in a statement.
The break-in suspect is described as tall and thin and was wearing black clothing.
At the Third Street Center “there’s more water damage than fire damage,” Goodwin said.
“This fire reinforces the fact that fire sprinkler systems really do work,” he said. “Having a sprinkler system in place prevented the fire from spreading to other parts of the Third Street Center and causing further damage.”
The fire did not spread beyond the center’s office, but it was unknown when the nonprofit will be able to reopen.
No one was injured, and no loss amount had been determined.
Reporting on lives and property saved by fire sprinklers
