RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) – The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District (Metro Fire or the District) Fire Investigations Unit arrested John Paul Walters on April 24, 2021 after an early morning house fire in Gold River. Reported at approximately 5:00 am Metro Fire personnel were able to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby vegetation and residences.

In conjunction with the Rancho Cordova Police Department and Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, a suspect in the fire was identified and located and subsequently arrested. He was booked into the Sacramento County jail on two charges of Arson to an Inhabited Structure (PC 451.b).

The occupants of the home on Discovery Village Ln. in Gold River were alerted to the presence of a fire by working smoke alarms which allowed them to escape without injury. The home sustained significant damage as a result of the fire and the occupants were displaced as a result.

Anyone with information on this, or any fire occurring within Metro Fire’s jurisdiction, should contact the Arson Tip Line by phone at (916) 859-3775 or by email at [email protected].

For further information and details please contact Metro Fire’s on duty PIO at (916) 859-4589.

Forged from a long line of tradition, Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District (Metro Fire) provides professional and compassionate protection, education and service to all-risk emergency hazards and incidents. The District was formed in 2000 through the final consolidation of 16 predecessor departments in the Sacramento region. The combined District now consists of approximately 700 employees and serves an area encompassing 358 square miles to over 738,000 citizens including Sacramento and Placer counties. Metro Fire is the seventh largest fire agency in the State of California.