Holyoke police investigating suspicious car fire on Elm Street

The fire was reported around 5:45 a.m. Friday.

The Republican | Greg Saulmon07.22.2011 | HOLYOKE - Fire Inspector Jordan M. Lemieux, left, and officers from the city's police department investigate a car fire on Elm St. early Friday morning.

HOLYOKE - Arson investigators and city police officers are investigating a suspicious car fire on Elm Street.

The fire was reported around 5:45 a.m. Friday at the 100 block of Elm Street, which lies between Dwight and Hampden streets.

Fire Inspector Jordan M. Lemieux said that, based on his preliminary investigation, it appeared an accelerant had been used to set the car's rear bumper ablaze. The fire blew out the car's windows and rear tires and caused heavy damage to the trunk area. A tow truck arrived to remove the vehicle shortly after 6:30 a.m.

A young man at the scene said that the car -- a two-door Toyota sedan -- was registered to his aunt, but that he had been the most recent driver.

Following the initial 911 call from the car's owner, police were looking for a Hispanic man with a black shirt the owner saw running from the area down Elm Street toward Appleton Street.