2 cars torched in auto repair lot

Salt Lake arson investigators were looking Monday for the person who torched a car inside an auto-repair yard over the weekend.

A witness saw two men walk behind V & L Auto Service, 1310 S. 900 West, just after 11 p.m. Saturday, carrying a gas can. When they returned, they no longer had the can with them, said Salt Lake police detective Dennis McGowan. A moment later, the witness heard an explosion, he said.

Firefighters arrived to find an older vehicle that had just been repaired on fire. Flames from that fire caught a second vehicle on fire, said Salt Lake fire spokesman Scott Freitag. Both were extinguished quickly.

Investigators believe the arsonists climbed the chain-link fence, poured gasoline over the top of one of the cars and lit it on fire, Freitag said. A motive was unknown. Anyone with information can call investigators at 799-3000.

— Pat Reavy