An autopsy was pending today on remains of a man in his 50s found after a blaze at a bondage club near Los Angeles International Airport.
A man recently fired by the club was arrested on suspicion of arson and murder. The man, identified as David Edward Albert, 53, was booked at 12:37 a.m. Wednesday, according to inmate records.
The fire was reported at 10914 S. La Cienega Blvd. around 11:30 a.m. It was extinguished in 20 minutes, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The address was identified as Passive Arts Studios, a bondage club. It is located near the east end of an LAX runway.
The body was burned, but the official cause of death has not been determined, said county fire Inspector Fred Stowers. Investigators from the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner said the man's remains were incinerated, and they would need dental X-rays and other forensic clues to positively identify the victim.
It was unclear if burns were the cause of death, Stowers said.
Authorities told City News Service they found Albert hiding in bushes across the street from the club. Deputy Jeff Gordon of the Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau said he was bleeding and said he'd been hit by a car.
His injuries were not consistent with his story and he was arrested on suspicion of arson and murder, Gordon said. He was treated for injuries he sustained before being taken into custody.
Albert was fired by the bondage club about a week ago, sheriff's Lt. Don Slawson said. He has a court date Thursday in Inglewood, according to inmate records.
The club's homepage was shut down on Tuesday afternoon, but on other web pages still online, the club was described as "the Nations largest, most elegant and best equipped dungeon."
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"Fully air conditioned and heated, cleaned daily and filled with state of the art equipment, PAS has a total of 7 complete theme rooms and Dungeons in 7000 square feet plus a 2500 square foot social area complete with stage and lighting," according to its website.
KNX reported traffic problems on La Cienega Boulevard, with closures between Century Boulevard and the Imperial Highway.
