Two years ago today two Los Angeles County Firefighters died battling the largest brush fire the region has ever seen.
Their names, Capt. Ted Hall and engineer Arnie Quinones, are forever etched on the side of below a memorial for 9/11 firefighters who also lost their lives in the line of duty.
Hall, 47 and Quinones, 35, both department veterans, had been protecting an evacuation route for Fire Camp 16 in the Angeles National Forest on Aug. 30, 2009 when their truck was overcome by the advancing fire. The rig veered off a dirt roadway near Mt. Gleason and plummeted hundreds of feet into a canyon.
The Station Fire, which ignited Aug. 26, 2009, consumed 160,557 acres and destroyed 209 structures. Eventually deemed arson, the fire was assigned to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau. Sheriff's Det. Mike Valentino told the that he has worked the case the last two years and, despite 146 leads, there is no suspect, the article states.
In November 2010, Los Angeles County officials honored the fallen firefighters by dedicating a portion of the Angeles Forest Highway to the men. Just south of Sierra Highway near Acton, a sign adjacent to the road reads "Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Ted Hall and Engineer Arnie Quinones Memorial Highway.''
