For the second time in two weeks, a fire has damaged vehicles parked in a carport at a Santa Maria apartment complex.

Santa Maria firefighters responded at 6:35 a.m. Wednesday to an incident in the 200 block of West Lolita Lane, Fire Marshal Jim Austin of the Santa Maria Fire Department said. 

They found two vehicles engulfed by flames and two others with minor damage in the carport at the Amara Apartments. 

Firefighters were treating the incident as a possible arson but were continuing to investigate and gather information Wednesday afternoon, Austin said.

An adjacent building’s gas meter had minor damage, and at least one electric meter melted because of the fire, Austin said, with utility company representatives on scene to deal with their equipment.

As part of the investigation, Austin said firefighters will review surveillance video from the area to try to identify a suspect.

It’s too early to determine whether Wednesday’s fire was connected to a similar incident in late May 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. 

The apartment complex for the May 29 incident is about two miles north of the site of this week’s fire.

Investigators continue to ask for the public’s help and said that anyone with information about either incident can call the Fire Department at 805.925.0951 x8533.