Man's death in Palisades fire ruled a suicide
By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer
The 76-year-old man who died in a Pacific Palisades house fire Wednesday committed suicide, according to autopsy results released yesterday.
The man, whose body was found in the rear left bedroom of a three-bedroom house at 2373 'Anini Place, died of burns from the fire. The death has been classified as suicide, said investigator Jimmy Annino of the medical examiner's officer.
KELIINOI
Family members identified the man as Edward Keliinoi, a retired city public works supervisor.
Fire and police investigators had determined that the fire was deliberately set.
The fire spread rapidly because of the use of an accelerant, possibly gasoline, according to a source, who requested anonymity because of the ongoing investigation.
The explosion neighbors heard was from the accelerant's vapors.
Fire investigators found charring and burn patterns that would indicate an ignitable liquid was spread around the house, said fire Capt. Emmit Kane.
Keliinoi and his 70-year-old wife, Madeline, have lived in the house since 1966.
Madeline Keliinoi was taken to Straub Hospital & Clinic, where she was treated for high blood pressure and released shortly after noon Wednesday, said Marie Cabanting, the eldest of the Keliinois' six children.
