SAN ANTONIO – The palm trees in front of PicaPica Plaza, a popular shopping center on the South Side, were set on fire early Tuesday morning, according to the business manager.
Manager Rudy Lopez told KSAT 12 he first heard about the fire from community members.
“I immediately rushed over here,” Lopez said.
Lopez said a man driving by at the time called 911 to report the fire.
Surveillance video from PicaPica captured a person walking towards the trees along the side of the building around 5 a.m.
“He took maybe 10-15 seconds in the back and as he’s walking out, you can see like a flashback boom, where I guess he had an accelerant, he had gas, he had something that started it up,” Lopez said.
Lopez said the suspect walked off as the fire started and disappeared off the camera.
“We couldn’t find him after that,” Lopez said. “We've been talking to neighboring businesses, checking their cameras, SAPD ... but we do have an arson investigator that is on it now.”
The San Antonio Fire Department confirmed the investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made as of Wednesday afternoon.
“Never in the nine years that I’ve been here, never has this happened or gone to this extent,” Lopez said.
Lopez urged the community to stay vigilant and to come forward if they have information.
“Whoever it was, whoever was here, I mean, we forgive you,” Lopez said. “Just stay away from Pica and just don’t do it to us and don’t it to other communities.”
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