1 arrested for suspicious fire at Walnut Creek strip mall

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (KGO) -- Arson investigators are looking into a suspicious fire at a Walnut Creek strip mall. The blaze destroyed hundreds and possibly thousands of bottles of wine late Sunday night.

Officials boarded the building up and have it roped off. There's a lot of debris they have to go through. But even this early in the investigation, they have made one arrest.

Police got the call about a fire at the strip mall on Civic Drive and Arroyo around 9:2p.m. Sunday. The Wesley Ashley Wines storage facility was on fire. We're told there's a winemaker in Santa Rosa who stores his wines in Walnut Creek for distribution.

When officials arrived, they saw a gasoline can on scene. While checking surveillance video from a nearby business, police say they recognized a known transient in the area of the fire.

Police say they arrested 49-year-old Arthur Holden for arson, commercial burglary, and parole violation.

In this case, police say they found physical evidence and stolen property from the business near Holden.