VIDEO: 2 suspects sought after starting fire at Sacramento business
SACRAMENTO — Arson investigators are looking to identify two suspects accused of throwing flammable fluid inside a Sacramento business that has not yet opened.
Sacramento Metro Fire said it happened just before 5 a.m. Wednesday at a ghost kitchen, which is still under construction, in a shopping center along Madison Avenue.
It's called Commissary and Food Storage, a shared kitchen for chefs and restaurant owners who serve up food for online orders and delivery only.
Video released by the fire district Wednesday captured two suspects pulling up to the business in a white van, breaking glass out front and throwing the flammable fluid inside, igniting a fire. The video appears to show a flare being thrown.
Metro Fire said the suspects tried to ignite the whole place twice, but the fire never got big enough to alert the alarm or any other mechanisms to call 911. It ultimately burned itself out before crews arrived.
"Breaking the window and throwing bombs in the place? Come on. The smoke was so dense in here it just ruined the whole place," said maintenance technician Nabih Massoud of the commercial kitchen.
From ruined grills to damaged air conditioning, ceiling panels and flooring, the total cost is around $120,000 in repairs needed before opening day next month.
"To pick somebody that hasn't even gotten opened up yet, having a hard time getting going and doing that to them? It's horrible," said Massoud.
And it isn't the first time — they say surrounding businesses in the shopping center have repeatedly seen their windows broken by vandals with nothing stolen.
"Four, five different places got things broken, windows. Now they're escalating to arson? Again, it doesn't make any sense someone would do that for no specific reason," said Massoud.
Sacramento Metro Fire told CBS13 of nine arson investigations their arson team has gone out on, this marks the fourth arson this week alone.
"It is alarming for us and we start looking internally at how can we prevent these things. How can we get better messaging out?" said spokesperson for the department, Capt. Parker Wilbourn.
An arson Sunday in Citrus Heights destroyed a home; a man who lived there was arrested for the crime.
So CBS13 asked: are arsons on the rise?
"This is an uptick. We do have busy spurts," said Wilbourn.
In Sacramento, police are hoping now to arrest the suspects responsible on Madison Avenue. They're seen on video pulling up in a white van with a ladder rack. They left behind a huge and costly mess.
The owners of the ghost kitchen are glad no one was hurt, though this ordeal could delay their opening next month.
Investigators are seeking the public's help in identifying the two individuals in the video. Anyone who recognizes them is asked to contact Metro Fire's arson tip line at 916-859-3775 or email at arsontip@metrofire.ca.gov.
See photos of the Madison Avenue suspects below.