A 36-year-old Newark man has been apprehended by authorities on suspicion of setting multiple small fires in Newark and Fremont. The incident began on Tuesday around 11:30 a.m. when the first fire was reported in the 36000 block of Cedar Boulevard in Newark, according to a news release from the Newark Police Department.
Witnesses managed to extinguish the fire before police arrived at the scene. Preliminary investigations indicated that the fire was intentionally set, targeting vegetation and a set of stairs leading to a vacant building. Minor damage was sustained by the building.
Approximately 15 minutes later, another fire involving a piece of furniture was discovered near Balboa Way and Thornton Avenue in Fremont, as stated in a news release by the Fremont Police Department. Another fire, also involving furniture, was reported in the 35000 block of Fremont Boulevard about 20 minutes after the previous incident.
Over the next hour and a half, several additional small fires were found burning in the northern part of Fremont. Witnesses at the various fire scenes provided similar descriptions of the suspect, leading police to believe they were all connected.
Around 1:30 p.m., a vigilant Fremont police sergeant observed smoke emanating from the area of Thornton Avenue and Interstate 880. Upon investigation, the sergeant discovered a man in the act of starting another fire in a wooded area adjacent to the roadway. The suspect was promptly arrested by Fremont police on suspicion of arson of property.
In addition to the arson charges, the Newark Police Department also arrested the man on suspicion of possession of a flammable material with intent to set fire to a structure.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported as a result of the fires, and the damage was limited to vegetation, abandoned property, and garbage.
