HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Investigators are looking into a menacing message painted on the side of a pain clinic that was damaged in an arson fire.
A fire erupted at the Hope Medical and Wellness Center in Hollywood about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.
"It was a very hot fire, very smoky, and it ended up kind of flaring up on us pretty good there," said Hollywood Fire Chief Joel Medina.
On the side of the burnt building Wednesday read "U killed my son drug dealer" in red paint. Police found pools of red paint and footprints nearby.
"It doesn't have the earmarks of a typical fire that we find. It definitely has suspicious factors involved," said Medina. "The graffiti appears to have not been there before, just by accounts and things we are hearing. It's something new."
Witnesses described the fire as being intense.
"I heard the explosion and I saw smoke, a lot of smoke," said William Araque.
"It looked like it was bad because there were a lot of fire trucks," said Maxine Hudson.
The building at 2841 Hollywood Boulevard is described as a pain clinic.
"Have you heard any complaints about this pain clinic?" Local 10's Jacey Birch asked the building's owner, Warren.
"Never heard any one complaint from anybody from any time from anyone," he answered. "I feel bad for anybody who was hurt. I feel bad for anybody, the tenants, and I feel bad obviously for somebody that had a problem from -- I feel bad for them, too, especially at this time of the year."
Warren added he hasn't had problems with any businesses before.
The Hollywood Fire Department and State Fire Marshall are investigating but have not yet confirmed evidence of accelerants or linked the graffiti with the arson.