Recent Car Fires Not Deemed Suspicious

Investigations into two recent car fires in Bridgewater parking lots are not continuing, according to Bridgewater Township Police Lt. Al Nicaretta.

There were two car fires in the span of two weeks, one that destroyed three vehicles in the parking lot of the Bridgewater Commons Mall at the beginning of April and another that destroyed three cars in the Sanofi parking lot on Corporate Drive a week later.

Despite concerns to the contrary, Nicaretta said the police department is not conducting arson investigations into these fires.

“I am not certain how the fire started in each incident,” he said.

Jack Bennett, with the Somerset County Prosecutors Office, said they are also not conducting any arson investigations with regard to the two incidents.

Bridgewater Township Fire Official Phil Langon said he did not investigate the incident based on determinations by the police that the fires were not suspicious, and he does not have additional information.

North Branch Fire Chief David Hickson, who was on scene in both fires, said sometimes these types of fires happen, and just because they occurred so close together in terms of time period does not mean they are connected.

“There is nothing that we can point to that would cause this type of ‘streak,’” he said. “Sometimes these types of fires occur concurrently as an anomaly.”