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DSA In the News

Car fires investigated as arson

Published on 10/12/2010


Bomb squad officers and arson dogs searched two parking garages at an apartment complex near the Trader Joe’s in South San Francisco early Sunday morning after a string of car fires were started one after the other on the 100 block of McLellan Drive, according to police.

The suspect, or suspects, allegedly started three more fires after police and fire officials responded to the first incident, according to police.

The fires are being investigated as arson, according to police.

The first fire broke out at a parking structure at the Archstone Apartments on the 100 block of McLellan Drive at El Camino Real. Police and firefighters responded to the scene at 1:08 a.m. on the second floor of the parking structure and found a car on fire, according to police.

A second fire was located across the street on the third floor of an adjacent parking structure while officers were concluding their investigation of the first fire, according to police.

At the same time, a third fire was reported in a dumpster to the rear of a business only blocks away, according to police.

While still responding to the second and third fires, a fourth fire broke out at the same parking structure at 4:07 a.m. where the first fire was reported, this time on the third floor.

The San Mateo County Bomb Squad responded with an arson dog and searched both parking structures for clues, according to police.

The fires seem related with the exception of the dumpster fire because of the timing, pattern and proximity to the other fires, according to police. Three cars were likely totaled in the fires, according to police.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information regarding these fires is encouraged to contact the police department at (650) 877-8900 or the fire department at (650) 829-6645.