Seattle Police confirms Capitol Hill bakery fire on Christmas was arson, asking for public’s help
Jan 15, 2026, 8:56 AM
Video surveillance footage of the suspect starting a fire that significantly damaged Cinnaholic Bakery in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. (Photos courtesy of SPD)
(Photos courtesy of SPD)
A fire broke out at the Cinnaholic Bakery in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood on Christmas Day. Now, three weeks later, the Seattle Police Department’s (SPD) arson bomb squad is asking for public assistance after confirming the fire was set intentionally.
The fire caused substantial damage, charring the bakery’s exterior walls. The Seattle Fire Department (SFD) reported that additional damage occurred during the emergency response.
After the fire marshal determined the fire was caused by lit cardboard outside the business, SFD requested a police report documenting the suspected arson.
“Video surveillance cameras captured footage of the suspect, yet the quality of the images are low,” SPD stated in its crime blotter.
According to the video surveillance, a man can be seen approaching the bakery with a bag containing cardboard boxes. The suspect lit the cardboard on fire and kept feeding the flames until a blaze erupted. Once flames stuck to the bakery walls, the suspect rode away on his scooter.
“It kind of caught me off guard. I’ve never seen anybody live in action where I actually felt like it was intentional,” James Prop, the owner of Cinnaholic Bakery, told KIRO 7. “It was pretty clear that he had a bag in hand with cardboard boxes and stuff, and was just sitting there feeding the fire until it lit. Once it lit and it flamed up, this individual just got on his scooter.”
If anyone recognizes the person in the photographs, the SPD is asking those to call the SPD Non-Emergency Line at (206) 625-5011.
This is a developing story, check back for updates
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