A
”
suspicious
”
fire claimed a storage container on private property in north
Gilroy and the personal belongings kept in it, fire officials
said.
Gilroy – A “suspicious” fire claimed a storage container on private property in north Gilroy and the personal belongings kept in it, fire officials said.
Firefighters and four engines from Santa Clara County Fire Department, Gilroy Fire Department and CalFire responded to a report of a blaze at 370 Denio Road. Tuesday at 1:39pm. When firefighters arrived, they found the body of a refrigeration truck, which had been unloaded and converted into a storage container, in flames.
The container was on private property, which was being used to store agricultural equipment, CalFire Battalion Chief Eric Wood said. However, there may not have been anybody living on the property at the time of the fire.
The incident is under joint investigation as burglary and arson by the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office and CalFire. To qualify as a burglary, the perpetrator must break into private property with the intent to commit a felony, such as arson or theft, Sheriff’s Sgt. Joe Waldherr said. The state of the locks at the back of the container indicates a burglary is likely, he said.
“The way they cut that, it’s obvious they were gaining entry for something,” he said.
At this point, proving there was a theft would be difficult because the fire makes it hard to determine if something was stolen or destroyed in the fire, Waldherr said. Therefore, a determination that the fire was set purposefully would be the clincher in carrying a burglary charge, he said.
“On a burglary, all we need is belief or probable cause,” he said. “Between the fire and somebody originally in there, probably something can be taken forward.”
No witnesses have come forward, but both agencies are pursuing several leads with one main suspect, Waldherr and Wood said. In the meantime, area residents should not be worried, he added.
“This is not the beginning of a rash of arson to storage containers,” he said. “All indications indicate that this was a focused event on an individual or individuals.”
