Gas station shuts down its pumps after vehicle fire

Car may have been intentionally torched, firefighters say

SAN ANTONIO – Arson investigators are looking for the driver of a car that caught fire dangerously close to gas pumps at a gas station near downtown.

The gray compact car burst into flames around 3 a.m. Thursday.

It was parked right next to a gas pump at the time at QuikTrip, located in the 300 block of San Pedro Avenue.

Firefighters say right before the fire started, the driver was seen on surveillance video tossing something into the car, then throwing a plastic bag that smelled like gasoline into a nearby trash can.

That person already was gone by the time firefighters and police arrived.

The gas pump where the fire started was reduced to a mound of melted plastic.

To avoid a potential explosion during the fire, workers at the gas station did an emergency shutdown of all the pumps.

Hours later, they all remained closed.

An employee told KSAT 12 News he was unsure when the pumps will be turned on again because they will have to be inspected first.


About the Authors:

Katrina Webber joined KSAT 12 in December 2009. She reports for Good Morning San Antonio. Katrina was born and raised in Queens, NY, but after living in Gulf Coast states for the past decade, she feels right at home in Texas. It's not unusual to find her singing karaoke or leading a song with her church choir when she's not on-air.

Ben Spicer is a digital journalist who works the early morning shift for KSAT.