It’s unclear whether the four suspects and more than 30 fires set over two days are in any way related, and while no one was hurt, one report says that a suspect managed to escape custody.

It was a difficult weekend for the East Bay entity known as the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, as NBC Bay Area reports they dealt with more than 30 fires, all suspected acts of arson. And while the station reports that four suspects have been arrested in connection with all the fires, it's not clear if these alleged arsons are connected, or if it is just a bizarre coincidence.

 

NBC Bay Area has some pretty harrowing images in their video segment, though thankfully, no one was hurt and no adjacent homes or businesses were damaged. At least two of these so-far-unnamed suspects are considered serial arsonists, and according to the station, Contra Costa County Fire says one of the suspects was “on their radar” for months.

That NBC Bay Area video shows a suspect who got violent when apprehended at Hillcrest Park, and had to be tased and taken in for medical afterward. Some local publication called East County today reports that that individual “assaulted hospital staff and fled the scene,” and that “as of Tuesday morning, he is not in custody and Antioch Police are presenting the case to the District Attorney to get a warrant.”

The other suspects were arrested for fires near a Costco in Antioch, on Port Chicago Highway, and Contra Costa County Fire has not released information on the fourth suspect, nor where those fires were located.

And apparently the fires come just after Arson Awareness Week (who knew?). Fire officials encourage you to make sure your smoke alarms and sprinklers are working. And if you have any information on these fires, their tipline is 1-866-50-ARSON.

Related: Illegal Marijuana Farmer Found Guilty for Starting the 2020 Dolan Fire [SFist]

Image: @ContraCostaFire via Twitter