Cars Burn at San Francisco Airport -- Arson a Possibility

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​Many a traveler has lost his or her luggage. But to lose your car -- that's different. It's also the reality facing half a dozen travelers at San Francisco International Airport, where a suspicious fire gutted six cars overnight in the long-term parking lot.

A Toyota Siena ignited in the wee hours, and the flames quickly spread to nearby cars. Vehicles don't tend to spontaneously immolate in moist, cold conditions, so the possibility of arson is under investigation. "It is awful suspicious, everyone agrees," said Sergeant Wes Mapsuura of the San Mateo County Sheriff's office. "But is it arson? We don't know."

San Francisco Airport spokesman Mike McCarron told SF Weekly that the owners of the cars will be tracked down via DMV records and, hopefully, informed about what happened prior to showing up in the lot and finding someone else's car in their spot.

Six cars were severely burned with a seventh suffering some cosmetic damage in the blaze, which was reported at around 12:30 this morning. McCarron, a 20-year SFO employee, can't recall anything like this happening before.

The charred cars have been towed off-site, where an arson investigator will pick over the remains. Mapsuura says surveillance footage will also be examined.

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