A suspect apparently trying to steal gas by way of an electric drill caused a fire Thursday afternoon that spread to six cars in the eBART parking lot in Antioch.

Firefighters with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con Fire) were called to the scene of the parking lot along Slatten Ranch Road in Antioch at 2:02 p.m. Thursday as multiple cars were becoming engulfed in flames.

As Bay City News reports, someone had been using an electric drill to drill into one vehicle's gas tank, in an effort to steal gas, but the drill caused sparks, igniting the gasoline that came spilling out. That flaming stream of gas then flowed down a slight incline and ignited five other cars.

Firefighters found the electric drill at the scene, but the suspect had fled by the time they arrived.

"It’s a bit of a mess," says Con Fire spokesperson Steve Hill, speaking to Bay City News. "You’re going to have six commuters who are going to get the surprise of their lives."

The incident remains under investigation, as Con Fire says in the tweet above.

The parking lot is connected with eBART, the East Contra Costa BART Extension, which utilizes light-rail trains to connect the main BART line in Pittsburg to Antioch. The extension and Antioch Station have both been open since 2018.