2 more suspicious car fires overnight in East Bay

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ByMatt Keller KGO logo
Friday, May 12, 2017
2 more suspicious car fires overnight in East Bay
There were two more suspicious car fires in the East Bay in the middle of the night. That brings the total to at least seven this week.

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (KGO) -- A serial arsonist may have struck again in the East Bay. Two more cars were set on fire Friday morning in Contra Costa County. There have now been seven car fires just in this past week.

RELATED: Police say Contra Costa County car fires were arson and likely linked

These fires are particularly dangerous because they're happening when people are sleeping. Thankfully, no one was hurt in the latest ones but the damage is done.

One was called in just after 2 a.m. Friday on Juanita Drive in Walnut Creek. "My house got so light. It was like daytime because of all the emergency vehicles and that woke me up," arson victim David Blumberg said.

Blumberg just heard about the string of arson fires on Thursday night and then woke up to find out his 2005 Acura TL was destroyed.

We really got very lucky because it could've spread to the homes. It could've spread to my house. It would've been terrible," Blumberg said.

Just 11 minutes after his car erupted in flames, another vehicle, a Toyota Highlander parked on the street, was set on fire on Crescenta Court in Lafayette.

This follow's Thursday's fires in Brentwood and others in Walnut Creek, Martinez and Lafayette earlier this week.

Now investigators are going back to the beginning of the year to see if other fires are linked to this same person or people.

RELATED: Investigation continues into string of suspicious car fires in East Bay

"Your best protection is to just be vigilant, to pay attention to what's going on. If you see something that doesn't look quite right, have somebody look into it," Contra Costa County Fire Marshal Robert Marshall said.

"Whoever it is is a menace. It's very scary because somebody is going to get hurt," Blumberg said.

One neighbor had surveillance video but the fire marshal asked them not to share it with us. They're still looking for tips, so if you know anything, give firefighters a call.

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