Tustin hanger fire: Was it caused by a break-in to steal copper wire?

An investigation into the fire that torched a World War II blimp hangar in Tustin in 2023 found there was a break-in the day before the fire started, potentially to steal copper wiring, according to new documents obtained by LAist. But fire officials were ultimately unable to pin down the cause of the blaze.

The Tustin hangar fire lasted for 24 days, torching one of the largest wooden structures ever built and raining asbestos-laden debris over neighborhoods for miles around. The fire and subsequent cleanup have cost taxpayers more than $100 million.

Key details of the investigation

• The property manager for the former military base that housed the hangar told investigators someone had broken in the day before the fire.
• One person staying at the nearby homeless shelter told investigators that he frequently broke into the hangar, even putting his own lock on one of the entrances. Authorities ultimately ruled him out as a suspect. 
• That same witness told investigators that neighborhood kids also frequented the hangar.

"Through this investigation we were unable to exclude an intentional act by one or more persons, the use of a warming or cooking fire by an unknown person or persons, or the use of an open flame by one or more persons for various activities including but not limited to smoking, drug use, lighting or the known practice of stealing and stripping of copper wire from vacant or unoccupied buildings," investigators wrote.

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The backstory

The federal government closed down the former Tustin air base in 1999 and has been slowly turning over the property to the city. But the fate of the blimp hangars was always in limbo, in part because of their state of disrepair. Break-ins were not uncommon.

Tell me about these records

LAist filed a public records request last year with the Orange County Fire Authority for all documents related to the fire and the subsequent investigation. Officials released the documents to LAist on Monday.

What's next?

The remains of the hangar are still being cleaned up by Navy contractors, using specialized methods for removing toxic debris.

According to the Navy's timeline, the work is not expected to be finished until at least this summer.

Where the investigation stands

In a text to LAist, Tustin Mayor Austin Lumbard said the city thanked the OCFA "for their diligence and professionalism" in investigating the fire.

"The OCFA has informed the City that it will reopen the investigation should any credible new information become available," Lumbard wrote. "We continue to encourage anyone with pertinent information about the Navy North Hangar Fire to contact the Orange County Fire Authority."