Three fires were intentionally set last week at a vacant Fletcher Avenue commercial building.
Mission Fire/Rescue Service was called to the former Antonio’s Restaurant site March 9, 10 and 11, said Chief Ian Fitzpatrick.
Shortly before 7 a.m. last Wednesday, fire alarms were activated at the building and firefighters found a fire burning outside at the rear of the building.
The flames had spread up the wall and extended into the joists, but the damage was quickly contained, said Fitzpatrick.
The investigator said the fire was suspicious.
The following day, firefighters were called back after alarms sounded.
Someone had broken a window and set a fire inside, causing damage to the walls and floor. This fire was also deemed suspicious.
Security guards were posted to the building 24 hours a day now, said Fitzpatrick, and during shift change March 11, someone set two fires simultaneously; one at the same site as the first and another on a wooden stairwell.
The guards were able to put out the deliberately set conflagrations before the fire department arrived, said Fitzpatrick.
