Van fire damages nearby car, apartments

The van fire is considered suspicious, police say.

A suspicious fire in Oak Harbor destroyed a van and damaged a nearby car and an apartment building early Monday morning, according to Oak Harbor officials.

The Oak Harbor Fire Department and the Police Department are both investigating the suspect blaze.

Nobody was injured in the fire.

Fire Chief Ray Merrill said the fire was reported at about 4 a.m. at a location on Southeast Ninth near Midway Boulevard. Responding firefighters were able to extinguish the flames in about 10 minutes after arriving.

The cause of the van fire hasn’t been determined yet but is considered suspicious.

“There doesn’t appear to be any reason the van would start on fire without someone providing assistance,” Dresker said.

The conflagration spread from the van, which was completely destroyed, and started a nearby car on fire, Merrill said. The heat from the fire also damaged the adjacent apartment building