Suspicious Car Fires Caused by Ignited Christmas Trees
By Robert Haugh

In the early morning hours of Friday, January 6, the Santa Clara Fire Department responded to one of the rarest calls they’ve seen.

Within a 25-minute period, SCFD received four separate fire calls, with nine of ten Santa Clara Fire Stations responding simultaneously. What were thought to be house fires ended up being vehicle fires, "set intentionally using available combustible materials," according to SCFD Captain Dave Parker.

Five vehicles were damaged in four separate fires. One fire endangered a home, as a vehicle parked in a driveway had caught fire, igniting a fence. The fire was quickly extinguished by responding fire crews.

Parker adds that it’s "highly unusual" to see four fire calls come in simultaneously. Because the calls were potential house fires, nine of the ten Santa Clara fire stations responded with available rigs. Many of the units returned to their base swiftly after discovering the fires were vehicle-based.

Parker says an investigation is underway, and the SCPD and SCFD are "following up with some leads." There are no suspects as of press time.

According to a Santa Clara resident, Franklin Smyth, the fires were on Rondonovan and McKinley, and also on Allen and around Mauricia and Cameron - a friend of his was listening to a scanner. Smyth says he heard at the scene that the fires were started when discarded Christmas trees, set aside for pickup, were lit beneath vehicles.

Anyone with information on the fires should call SCPD’s "dial-a-tip line at 408-241-9495.