Apparent arson destroys vehicles at Santa Rosa apartment complex

Detectives were seeking suspects Tuesday in an apparent arson that destroyed three cars and damaged two others at a south Santa Rosa apartment complex.

Unidentified males were seen leaving the complex at the time of Saturday’s 6:30 a.m. fire, and a gas can and lighter were found at the 2300 block Corby Avenue complex, sheriff’s Sgt. Spencer Crum said Wednesday.

A 2015 Toyota Tacoma pickup appeared to be the target, Crum said, but the fire spread to a 2005 Nissan Armada and a 2015 Nissan Sentra.

Callers to 911 told dispatchers they heard multiple explosions, said Santa Rosa fire Battalion Chief Ken Sebastiani.

Rincon Valley firefighters arrived first and found the pickup ablaze and flames spreading to nearby cars and a wooden carport.

Worried residents parked near the burning vehicles were moving them off the property as firefighters arrived, causing some access issues, Sebastiani said.

Detectives believe at least two males were seen leaving the area in a silver, four-door sedan and are considered potential suspects, Crum said. A motive wasn’t known.

Sebastiani estimated about $55,000 in damage to the vehicles and another $20,000 to the wooden carport.

- Randi Rossmann