2 cars go up in flames while parked on street in North Amityville

Monday, May 14, 2018
2 cars go up in flames while parked on street in North Amityville
Candace McCowan reports on two car fires on a Long Island street.

NORTH AMITYVILLE, Long Island (WABC) -- Police are investigating after two cars were destroyed by fire on the same block in Suffolk County.

A 911 call came in at about 11:50 p.m. Sunday to report the burning vehicles.

The cars were parked on opposite sides of Melody Lane in North Amityville.

We spoke exclusively with the owners of those two cars, a husband and wife who have lived there for decades. The spot where they parked their cars was covered in charred debris Monday.

"Got the call last night and they told me that the car is on fire." said owner Steve Grayden.

Grayden didn't know his two vehicles were in flames until his cousin who lives across the street called to tell him.

In front of his home, fire was shooting from his car and his wife's vehicle.

"She's upset, she's frustrated ," Grayden said.

Neighbors said they heard cracking before they ran outside. "I saw someone run out the house and that was the person who tried to pull out the hose but he couldn't really do much ," said neighbor Mac Mitchell.

Video captured the moments the firefighters put water on the two vehicles. At first investigators said the flames might have been caused by a brush fire, but none of the grass nearby appeared to be torched.

Grayden said he believes someone did it intentionally. "I don't see any other way you have two cars on fire at the same time," he said. "It's not a coincidence. To me that's deliberate."

But as for who did it, the Graydens have no idea.

"I feel safe here, I've been here for 22 years," Steve Grayden said. "I'm not going anywhere, hey put it in God's hands, that it."

Suffolk County Police say their arson squad detectives are investigating.

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