Two suspects attempting to steal fuel from commercial box trucks in Seattle’s SODO neighborhood accidentally set themselves ablaze early Friday morning, causing approximately $150,000 in damage to three rental vehicles before fleeing the scene with possible burn injuries.

Botched Theft Turns Into Inferno

Multiple 911 calls flooded emergency dispatchers around 1:30 a.m. Friday reporting several box trucks engulfed in flames near the 3400 block of 1st Avenue South. Seattle firefighters and police officers rushed to the scene, where witnesses reported seeing suspicious activity just before the blaze erupted. Security camera footage later revealed the full scope of what investigators now believe was a fuel theft operation gone catastrophically wrong.

The surveillance video showed a vehicle arriving at the rental truck lot with two occupants inside. The pair appeared to be siphoning fuel from the parked box trucks when flames suddenly ignited, engulfing both the suspects and their vehicle. The burning suspects managed to get back into their car and drove through the flames onto 1st Avenue South, leaving behind significant destruction but escaping the immediate scene.

Wrong Man Arrested, Then Released

In the initial chaos following the fire, police detained a 37-year-old man found near the rental truck lot fence. Officers noted he smelled strongly of smoke and carried a lighter. A witness positively identified him as someone seen leaving the area before the fire started. Authorities arrested him on felony property damage charges given the substantial financial loss. However, after Arson and Bomb Squad detectives reviewed the security footage Friday morning, they determined the detained man had no involvement in starting the fire and released him from custody.

Search Continues For Burned Suspects

The Seattle Police Department is actively searching for the two individuals captured on surveillance video. Investigators believe at least one suspect may be suffering from heat-related injuries, potentially including singed hair and eyebrows from the intense flames that consumed them during their escape. The substantial property damage qualifies the incident as a felony, and authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the Seattle Police Tip Line at 206-233-5000. The case highlights the dangerous risks criminals take when tampering with vehicle fuel systems, which can produce deadly vapors that ignite with devastating speed.