Arsons. The latest happened this morning. Kevin bernard has the story from san jose. Reporter police and fire authorities believe the man you see in this sketch is responsible for setting a string of downtown fires in the last four days. These fires must stop. Your san jose firefighters offer up to 10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for these fires. Reporter the Fire Department says the suspect may not be acting alone. The latest blaze destroyed most of this victorian home on st. John street about 4 20 saturday morning. The elderly couple living here escaped safely. Across the street, surveillance cameras on eric kupfers house caught a man walking by four times shortly before the fire started. At least once, the man is seen holding something in his hand. But to come by four times is kind of suspicious, especially in the gap of the first time we see him is a little after 3 00. Reporter firefighters arrived on scene minutes af
Walls and ceilings of their home. And Heather Holmes has the story. Reporter frank, with no spare the air alert, bob alvarado decided to put a couple of logs on the fireplace. Soon after an explosion so powerful it lifted the roof of the house. It was like a bomb went off in there. Reporter in a moment he saw the home he built go from beautiful to blackened. He saw billowing in an electrical outlet. Thats when i put my hand on the wall and the wall was hot. So i screamed to them get out. Reporter when they got to the driveway, boom. Lifted the roof off the house. It blew out the back wall about two feet. And blew all the sheet rock off the ceiling to the floor. This is exactly what happens. This is a back draft. Like the sequel back draft, a hazardous condition that played out in real life. Reporter it doesnt happen that often but you can tell by the devastation to the wall and all the material that was blown out to the yard. This is an extremely dangerous situation. Geez, look at all
Good evening and thanks for joining us. Im diane dwyer. A serial arsonist is on the loose in the south bay. There have been ten fires in less than a week, all in downtown san jose. Police are hoping a new 10,000 reward will make the difference. Kimberly terry is at the scene of the latest fire with more for us. Reporter Authorities Say they have grave concerns for Public Safety and also for the firefighters who are risking their lives to fight this rash of suspicious fires which have been moving fast, growing very quickly. The 10,000 reward is being offered by the San Jose Firefighters Union for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible. Neighbors who live on east st. John and 17th woke up just before 4 30 this morning to massive flames. I went to the back and i came outside and there was a fire in the back. So i came over here right away and tried to get them out. Reporter a couple in their 70s were inside sleeping but escaped unharmed.
With dark medium length hair and wearing distinctive large frame glasses. The fires have been set in a small Geographic Area in the Early Morning hours and are similar in nature. At this time, we can confirm that eight of these fires have been intentionally set. The most recent having occurred this morning at 4 23 at 7 the 7 east st. Johns. Targeted structures have included a church, commercial building, and five family residences. The causes of two are still undetermined. Reporter san jose firefighters say it was a jogger who alerted them to the fire this morning by the banging on the door of their station, which is very close to the home of the corner of east st. John and 18th street. A couple in their 70s were able to get out safely, thanks to some neighbors who alerted them. Kimberly tere, nbc, bay area news. Kimberly, any idea at this point on a motive for these fires . Reporter not yet. Police are still police and fire, i should say, are working very closely together to try to, n
Buses headed to San Jose International airport. They are going to have a showdown with the panthers. The panthers beat the 9ers in week 10, 109. But San Francisco down a number of key players and a win in charlotte and its off to the nfc title game. Kickoff 10 05 sunday morning. Meteorologist Lawrence Karnow watching this with me. What do you think, good weather out that way . I think they are going to land in rain. Of course, they have had some recordbreaking cold temperatures across a good part of the country there but on sunday, game time, you know what . They are going to be talking about a lot of sunshine and, you know, these temperatures are going to be very similar to the bay area, probably some upper 50s, low 60s. So you couldnt ask for much better football weather and no rain expected in the forecast for game time. A far cry from green bay. A far cry from the frozen tundra, yeah. Should be great football weather. Thank you, lawrence. The buses on the way and this reminder. Wel