Officials Eye Arson as Cause of Explosion

At 9:30 p.m. Saturday, the Capitola Police Department responded to a . Three cars and a motorcycle from various owners were destroyed in the fire, according to police and the Central Fire Department.

Structural damage in the carport area was reported, and a fourth vehicle was also damaged. 

“It's listed right now as being suspicious, the investigation is ongoing, and Central Fire has taken the lead, because they handle any potential arson investigations,” said Capitola police Sgt. Andrew Dally.

Central Fire spokesman Mike DeMars confirmed Dally's statement. 

“Right now, it is looking suspicious, but it is still under investigation," he said. "We haven’t determined anything definitive yet.”  

The scene Sunday morning was one of three burnt vehicle carcasses, with residents taking a glance at the destruction near their homes.

“I was down at Capitola Village," said Steve Zipperlen, who lives nearby. “When I walked home, there was tape across Capitola Avenue and Hill Street. There was a bunch of police cars and a bunch of fire engines. … They were moving around investigating and asking people questions.”

The fire directly impacted other residents, such as Cathie Escalante, whose grandmother owns one of the destroyed cars. Escalante was taking photos of the wreckage.

“We got a phone call this morning letting us know that there had been some damage, to say the least,” she said. “[My grandmother] is visiting some relatives. … I am glad she wasn’t here, but her car has been destroyed, and there is going to be some work done on her fence.”

Stay tuned to Capitola-Soquel Patch throughout the week for updates to this story.