Arsonist sets fire at hotel & burns car, limo

The Port Arthur Fire Marshal is investigating three cases of arson in which someone burned a car and then set a small fire in a hotel under construction before torching a limousine outside a law firm across the street.

Fire Marshal Mark Mulliner tells KFDM News firefighters received a call at 4:53 a.m. Friday about a vehicle on fire in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn Express, 3115 Central Mall Drive.  The hotel is under construction near Central Mall. 

"Everybody was gone from the site and it was secure," Mulliner told KFDM News.  "Someone jumped over the fence and set a worker's vehicle on fire."

Mulliner says it's believed the same person set a small fire inside the hotel in the east side of the building.

"It did very little damage," said Mulliner.  "Probably the same person set it."

Investigators believe there's a link between the first two fires and a fire to a limousine parked outside a law firm across the street from the hotel under construction

"While we were fighting the hotel fire we saw smoke across the street at 3120 Central Mall Drive," said Mulliner.  

That's a building occupied by the McPherson, Monk, Hughes, Bradley, Wimberley and Steele law firm.

"The rear of the building," said Mulliner.  "A limousine was on fire under the carport.  The limousine was heavily damaged."

There was no damage to the law firm.

Mulliner says anyone with information about the fires should call the Port Arthur Fire Marshal's Office at 983-8732 or EasTex Crime Stoppers at 724-TIPS.

Stay with KFDM News for the latest on the story.