There have been three fires along a three-mile stretch of Interstate 580 in Oakland over the last two weeks, but the fire department clarified that it's not a disturbing pattern, but a bizarre fluke.
The first brush fire on the afternoon of Sept. 16 quickly went to four alarms near Quigley St. and 35th Ave., destroying an in-law unit and damaging four nearby homes. The investigation into what triggered that blaze is still ongoing but it is not believed to be intentionally set.
But the next set of fires, a trio of small fires on Sept. 20, was intentionally set as investigators found fuses and flares near 35th Ave. and Coolidge.
"Our fire investigators working with the OPD have deemed that fire to be caused by arson activity. I'm very hopeful that this particular suspect will be apprehended and brought to justice," said Oakland Fire Chief Reginald Freeman.