Suspect arrested in Old Town fire

Seal Beach Police Department

Seal Beach Police detectives, working cooperatively with Fire Investigators from the Orange County Fire Authority, have arrested John Louis Maier Jr., 60, of Seal Beach, on suspicion of arson.

On Jan. 4, at 1:02 a.m., the Fire Authority and Seal Beach Police officers were dispatched to a structure fire on Second Street in Seal Beach. The home was a new construction, still in the framing stages, and was fully engulfed. Neighboring homes were evacuated and received some fire damage as well as some vehicles that were in the alley behind the homes.  The fire was determined to be of suspicious origin.  Arson investigators from the Fire Authority and detectives from the SBPD conducted a joint investigation and determined that the fire was arson.

Police are asking anyone with information related to this investigation to contact Detective Jeff Gibson at 562-799-4100 ext. 1109.