Authorities are investigating fires that burned eight vehicles at a Reston apartment complex overnight.
Firefighters arrived at the complex in response to one car fire, but once there, a carport engulfed in flames caught their attention.
"While units were on the scene fighting the fire, they noticed a glow in the sky, and about 200 feet up, they came up here and saw an adjacent structure with five vehicles and carport fully involved," said Fairfax fire Lt. Jeff Trice.
Among the destroyed vehicles was Keoni Cheffens' SUV.
He said he was awakened by the response to the first fire. Then, after he went back to sleep, an explosion roused him again.
"The entire carport was on fire with the five cars under it -- it was just a huge fireball for about 10 minutes -- and it extended to the top of trees here," he said.
The fire department used dogs to investigate the cause.
"It was intentionally set, and they're just trying to figure out what was the cause of it," Trice said.
It was the third time in 10 months that vehicles have been set on fire in the area. On May 5, two vehicles were set ablaze. On July 18, there was another vehicle set on fire, but the damage wasn't limited to vehicles. Intense heat blew out windows and melted the frames at a nearby chiropractor's office.
Six of the eight damaged vehicles were completely destroyed.
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