by TAMER EL-GHOBASHY
Police and fire department officials are investigating a rash of arson fires in a residential Queens neighborhood where four vehicles were torched early Tuesday and five others were damaged, authorities said.
Residents of three blocks in Whitestone called 911 within minutes of each other starting at 12:50 a.m. to report that their vans and sport utility vehicles had been engulfed in flames, fire department officials said. All of the vehicles were parked along 9th Avenue between 148th and 150th streets. One fire spread to the exterior of a home, said Jim Long, a fire department spokesman.
Officials said the fires were deliberately set and fire marshals and NYPD detectives were searching for video surveillance to assist them in the case. It was unclear if the vehicles were intentionally targeted or chosen randomly, authorities said.
Residents of the area where the vandalism occurred said there was no warning and no indication of trouble before the vehicles were torched.
Lisa Pekarik, 43 years old, said she was first alerted when the alarm from her 2002 Dodge Caravan briefly sounded. She then saw the fire trucks and looked out her window to find that her van was ablaze.
"The flames were many feet high," said Ms. Pekarik, who lives on 9th Avenue. "It was a nightmare. We have no idea what made this rampage happen. Everybody is very shaken up not knowing if they were targeted or if it was just kids being foolish."
Police later discovered that five cars were also damaged by a sharp object, most likely a key, officials said.
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