5 Car Fires Were Arson, Police Say

Five car fires were reported early Saturday in Easton's West Ward, and now police are saying those fires were arson.

The fires along Lehigh and Washington streets "were deliberately set," Lt. Matthew Gerould told the Express-Times.

Video of one of the fires was captured by reader Ryan Brennan. It's included with this story.

"I applaud the courage of the firemen putting this out - that jeep could've exploded at any time," Brennan wrote. "I was alerted around 3:40am by a horn beeping and stopping and then a moment later beeping nonstop. I then heard someone yelling & commotion, I looked out my skylight and saw smoke rising in the air and then went to my bathroom window and saw a jeep ablaze."

The fires occurred as follows, according to a press release from Easton police:

• 3:45 a.m.: Police went to the 1100 block of Lehigh Street and found a vehicle on fire. A second vehicle on fire was located in the 1200 block of Lehigh Street while police were at the first fire. Then a third vehicle in the 1000 block of Lehigh Street was extinguished before major damage was done.

• 10:03 a.m. Police went to the 1200 block of Lehigh Street and found a vehicle with moderate fire damage inside. It looked like the fire had been out for several hours.    

• 1:21 p.m. Police went to the 1400 block of Washington Street and found a vehicle with moderate fire damage inside. Again, it looked like the fire had been out for several hours.

Police say a white man 5 feet 10 to 6 feet tall wearing light-colored clothing was seen on the 1200 block of Lehigh Street around the time of some of the fires. He may have fled east on Lehigh Street, possibly in a black vehicle.

Anyone who was in the area at the time of the fires or anyone with information is asked to call 610-250-6639 or the Easton Police tip line at 610-250-6635.