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3 garbage fires in SLC neighborhood suspected to be arson

Posted at 11:46 AM, Aug 28, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-28 20:31:02-04

SALT LAKE CITY -- Three arson fires happened in the Glendale area Sunday morning around 7:15.

All of them were junk piles neighbors had left out on the curbside in front of their homes.

Mattresses, chairs, speakers, clothing--all kinds of furniture was burned; however, whoever did it skipped large piles of tree debris on some nearby curb sides. Firefighters say if they had lit that debris, there could have done much more damage to the neighborhood.

Monday is a city clean-up day in that area, and junk piles are in front of hundreds of homes there.

Luckily, neighbors saw the flames and quickly called 911. They also used their own hoses to put the fires out. They worry about their families, and if the arsonist will strike again.

Magdalena Velazquez said her neighbor’s piles burned close to her truck, which had a full tank of gas.

“This thing could have traveled up over to my truck and it could have exploded,” Velazquez said. “I just bought my home around June, and so I've worked really hard to get where I'm at and I have kids and grand kids in there, and just to realize that something like this is this close to my home, I'm flabbergasted by it all.”

Salt Lake City Fire Department’s spokesperson said they need help finding the suspect. If you have any information call: 801-799-3473