BREAKING: Homeless Man in Norwalk Set on Fire

Updated: 11 a.m., Wednesday, December 26

By Brian Hews

An adult homeless man in Norwalk was set on fire this past Wednesday morning in which the victim suffered second and third degree burns over 70 percent of his body, Los Cerritos Community Newspaper has learned exclusively.

Details about the incident surfaced for the first time this past Sunday night when LCCN was contacted by three different sources about the incident.

Several media outlets have begun to report on the details of the crime that has left several local neighbors in a state of shock.

Detective Cofield of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Arson Squad confirmed to LCCN the details of the event. “We can confirm that a transient was set on fire and no one is in custody as of Sunday.”

LCCN has learned that the name of the victim who was set on fire is Barton Pierce, age 55.

Pierce is well known in Norwalk and has lived on the streets around the community for years. For a long period of time he lived on a sidewalk on Alondra Boulevard adjacent to million dollar homes across the street in a private Cerritos residential community.

LCCN was told from sources that Pierce was set on fire while he was apparently sleeping at a location near the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District Office Headquarters off of Firestone Boulevard and Pioneer Boulevard on Union Street.

Pierce was transported to an area hospital, and his condition has not been made public.

“How is it possible that a homeless man could actually be set on fire? This is an outrage,” said Norwalk resident Mark Hylland.

Several people took to social network sites to express their outrage about the situation.

“I hate to think that someone would do this but in today’s world everything is possible we have sick people out there,” Olga Avina said.

One local resident, who did not want to be identified, said he could not “comprehend that someone would set another person on fire, especially someone who is homeless.”