Arson Investigation and Clean-Up Underway After Apartment Fire in Santa Maria
Jarrod Zinn
SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Investigators believe someone intentionally set two carport fires in Santa Maria last week.
While the investigation remains fluid, the fire’s lasting impact on nearby residents continues.
A Santa Maria apartment complex was hit with not one, but two carport fires last Thursday.
“They were completely involved with fire when crews arrived,” says Santa Maria Fire Marshal Jim Austin.
Investigators say the two fires — set on opposite ends of the Summergate Apartments on west Morrison Avenue — were no accident.
“The fire has been classified as intentional,” says Austin, “based on scene evidence and some other additional evidence that we have developed.”
Evidence at the scene also suggests these may not be isolated incidents.
Some people living in the complex say they are on edge.
“And a lot of people are still scared of somebody coming back and starting another fire,” says Summergate resident Trish Chapple. “That’s the biggest thing — that it could happen here in our complex.”
Fortunately, no one was hurt and none of the residences were impacted. But the cost of replacing the two car ports at $75,000 each, combined with replacing the ten destroyed vehicles and repairing the other ten damaged vehicles, comes to an estimated figure of $250,000 in overall damages.
And for many residents, the emotional damage continues.
“And you don’t know who’s doing it, or at least we don’t,” says Chapple. “And so it’s scary because now it’s kind of leading to where you’re looking twice at everybody, you know, somebody standing next to the trash can, you know, you’re looking at them. Teens, everybody.”
Officials urge anyone with information to contact the Santa Maria Fire Department at (805)925-0951 ext 8533 to be connected with an investigator.
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