Suspected Arsonist Catches On Fire While In The Act In California, Video Shows

A video shared by authorities appears to show a man set himself on fire while burning a car in a southwestern California neighborhood early Tuesday.

The suspect torched the car in front of its owner’s residence in Corona, destroying the car and damaging the home, according to a statement jointly issued by the City of Corona Fire Department (CFD) and Corona Police Department (CPD).

The authorities said they responded to the scene to discover the vehicle ablaze. They obtained a Ring surveillance video of the incident from the affected resident.

The video shows a man appearing to set fire to a stationary car in a compound. The resulting fireball immediately engulfed the car and the suspected arsonist, who then fled the scene while aflame by scaling a fence, according to the video.

The suspect fled in what officers described as a new-model pickup truck, according to authorities. Officials shared a photo of the alleged getaway vehicle.

The CFD and CPD asked the public to provide any information they have on the suspect to authorities.

California had to contend with wildfires presaged by storm-force winds in early January. Southern California — particularly Los Angeles — was affected, with the earliest massive fires starting Jan. 7, according to Cal Fire updates.

Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom came under heavy criticism for their response to the fires. (RELATED: Mayor Says She’s Investigating Her Own Trip Abroad While Wildfires Destroyed Her City)

Some Angelenos detained a man they suspected was an arsonist shortly after the Kenneth fire broke out Jan. 9, but LA Police Department Divisional Chief Dominic Choi said investigators determined there was insufficient evidence to charge the man with starting the fire, KTLA reported. Authorities accused the man of felony probation violation.

Four of the fires caused the most damage, destroying 54,778 acres between them, according to Cal Fire. California lost 29 people, 57,687 acres and 16,251 structures in total to fires in January and February.