8 cars burned in night of arson

A joint city-federal arson task force is investigating the torching of eight cars in three adjoining neighborhoods in the city overnight, officials said.

Except for their relative proximity, officials have not established any link between the seven separate incidents of arson.

The fires were reported between 4:37 a.m. and 5:20 a.m. in Olney, Feltonville and Crescentville sections, said Fire Department Capt. Jeffrey Thompson.

"All the fires were incendiary in nature," he said.

The task force looking into the fires includes investigators from the city Police and Fire Departments and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the fires at the following locations:

4800 block of Whitaker Avenue, Crescentville;

5000 block of F Street, Cresentville;

4900 block of North 2d Street, Olney;

5100 block of North 2nd Street, Olney;

300 block of East Sheldon Street, Olney

Bodine and Bristol Streets, Feltonville;

and Bodine and Cayuga Streets, Feltonville, where two cars where burned.

Earlier this month, five cars were set on fire in Wissinoming.

In the early morning hours of Dec. 4, four cars were torched on Cottage Street near East Cheltenham Avenue and a fifth vehicle was found ablaze on Cheltenham Avenue.