Arson feared after two Teslas burn within blocks of each other in S.F.
San Francisco authorities are investigating two car fires that occurred early Saturday within blocks of each other South of Market — both Tesla Model Y’s and possibly the result of arson, according to the owner of one of the vehicles.
The first fire was reported shortly before 1 a.m. at Shipley and Fourth streets, a spokesperson for the Fire Department told the Chronicle. A second vehicle fire within two blocks of the blaze triggered a request for a police response, he said.
A Tesla Model Y owner, whose car burned at Mabini and Bonifacio streets, said fire department responders told him it was the second such vehicle ablaze that night.
Chris, who withheld his last name out of safety concerns, said that when he went to find his car, all he saw was burned debris. Police told him they had towed the car but didn’t show him a picture of the damaged vehicle, he said.
“We didn’t even hear any sirens or explosions last night when it happened, so we were completely surprised when we couldn’t find our car,” he told the Chronicle in a text message. “First thought was maybe I parked somewhere else, then second thought was maybe someone stole it, then saw the ashes.”
Chris, 33, said he was planning to drive to Costco on Saturday morning with his wife and 7month-old child.
“Quite sad. We love S.F. and our neighborhood. … We loved our 1.5-year-old Tesla,” he said. “But this may accelerate our moving to a suburb now.”
Chris said investigators told him they are learning toward arson “and are working with local buildings to review surveillance footage.” The Fire Department spokesperson declined to comment on whether the fires were the result of arson or another cause.
“I’ve been parking there for several years now with my residential permit and never had any issues,” Chris said. “There’s a retirement home next to it so had always been very safe — no broken glass from cars. So this incident was shocking in that two
cars were set on fire in a normally very safe neighborhood — and both are Tesla Model Y’s.”
The incident came two weeks after a Waymo driverless car was vandalized and set on fire in Chinatown.
A police department spokesperson
did not return a request for comment Saturday.