Philadelphia

Families Escape Homes After Suspicious Car Fires in Northeast Philadelphia

Philadelphia fire investigators searched for clues after two cars suspiciously caught fire overnight just blocks apart.

The first car caught fire around 1 a.m. at Torresdale Avenue and Robbins Street in the Tacony section of the city. No injuries were reported.

About 30 minutes later, firefighters were called to a home behind Ditman Street, (off Robbins) where they found a sport utility vehicle on fire, said firefighters.

The neighbor’s dog, Thor, started barking, which alerted his owners. A couple and three kids got out of that Ditman Street house then awoke Alexander Abad, his girlfriend and their 8-year-old. Everyone made it out OK.

The blaze left Abab’s Mercury Mariner smoldering, damaged his neighbor’s Pontiac Montana and damaged the exterior of Abad’s home.

Friday morning, the fire marshal with arson-sniffing dogs investigated both blazes as suspicious.

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