Multiple vehicles were destroyed or damaged due to another overnight carport fire in Santa Maria, marking the third in roughly four weeks.
At approximately 3 a.m. Saturday, personnel from the Santa Maria Fire Department were dispatched to the incident at the La Vista Apartments while Santa Maria police officers assisted with traffic control in the area.
On Saturday afternoon, the destroyed or damaged remains of seven vehicles sat in the carport as the melted roof draped over the front and back edges of the structure at the corner of Knudsen Way and Oakley Court.
Santa Maria firefighters did not provide any additional information about the incident.
This is the third fire involving vehicles parked in carports at apartment complexes in Santa Maria after the city saw a similar incident in late May and another earlier in June.
Arson is suspected in the previous blazes, but no arrests have been made.
The first carport fire occurred early on May 29 at the Summergate Garden Apartments at the northeast intersection of South Blosser Road and West Morrison Avenue.
That fire destroyed eight to 10 vehicles and damaged another eight to 10 vehicles in addition to carports on the south and north sides of the complex.
On June 11, Santa Maria firefighters responded at 6:35 a.m. to an incident on the 200 block of West Lolita Lane, where they found two vehicles engulfed by flames and two others with minor damage in the carport at the Amara Apartments.
An adjacent building’s gas meter had minor damage, and at least one electric meter melted because of the fire, firefighters said, with utility company representatives on scene to deal with their equipment.
The apartment complex for the May 29 incident is about two miles north of the site of the next fire.
This week’s fire scene sits several blocks from the site of the Summergate blaze.
Investigators continue to ask for the public’s help and said that anyone with information about any of the incidents can call the Fire Department at 805.925.0951, ext. 8533.