Two simultaneous fires occurred Dec. 19 in the same medical complex where a November blaze destroyed one of five buildings there, while there were two separate vehicle fires the same morning.
Authorities now suspect arson as the cause of those latest incidents – along with a November fire that destroyed a building at the same Sunnyslope Road medical complex.
The fires were reported shortly before 7 a.m. Wednesday to the two buildings on each side of the structure destroyed in the November incident, said Fire Chief Fred Cheshire. The same morning firefighters also responded to a vehicle fire at 3:17 a.m. in the 1000 block of Juniper Drive and then to a vehicle fire in the 100 block of Gibson Drive at 4:39 a.m.
Fire Marshall and Captain Mike O’Connor said fire personnel discovered evidence that the recent fires were set deliberately and in a similar manner in all three of the incidents.
Authorities initially had found no evidence of arson related to the first fire in November, but are now re-thinking that conclusion and treating last week’s fires as “very suspicious,” said Cheshire, who reported that investigators had not recovered evidence showing use of accelerants linked to the possible arson cases.
Damage done to buildings A and C of the 930 Sunnyslope Road complex was relatively minor compared with the total destruction that occurred to building B last month, said the fire chief, who offered a rough estimate of around $10,000 in total damage to the two structures in the most recent case. He said both fires were at their “beginning phase” when firefighters arrived and that most of the damage was from smoke.
After the Nov. 14 fire, Cheshire called in for assistance from investigators in Santa Cruz who ruled it was undetermined where that first blaze started or what ignited it.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the latest fires while re-examining the first as well, but do not have any reason to believe the complex has been targeted for a specific reason.
“I guess at this point in time, there doesn’t seem to be any particular target – that it just seems to be more of a vandalism at this point,” Cheshire said.
In a press release, Hollister police said the fires happened within walking distance of each other and there did not seem to be a connection between the owners of the vehicles and the medical buildings.
Officer are asking anyone who noticed someone suspicious walking around the area in the early morning hours on Wednesday to call the department at (831) 636-4331 or 911. Residents can also call WeTip at 1-800-78-CRIME to report tips anonymously.
