Gee: Wait, what?! Suspects set themselves on fire allegedly trying to steal fuel in Seattle
Sep 28, 2026, 3:09 PM
Box trucks were damaged in a fire in SODO. (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
There are bad decisions, no doubt about that. Then there are decisions where the consequences show up before you can even leave the scene.
Welcome to “Wait, what?!”
Seattle police are searching for two suspects who allegedly tried to steal fuel from box trucks at a rental truck lot in the SODO neighborhood early Friday morning.
Multiple people called 911 around 1:30 a.m. after seeing several box trucks on fire near the 3400 block of First Avenue S, according to police. When detectives eventually reviewed the surveillance footage, they discovered something nobody was expecting.
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Video shows the fire started while the suspects were allegedly siphoning fuel
Police said a vehicle pulled up with two people inside. The suspects appeared to start siphoning fuel from the trucks when suddenly, BOOM. A fire started, and the suspects caught fire. Somehow, they managed to get back into the vehicle and drive away. Wait, what?!
Three rental trucks suffered more than $150,000 in estimated damage, according to Seattle police, and here’s where this story gets even crazier:
Before investigators reviewed the surveillance footage, officers arrested a 37-year-old man they found near the scene. Police said he smelled strongly of smoke, had a lighter, and had been identified by a witness.
Sounds pretty convincing. Except there was one problem. He apparently didn’t do it.
After reviewing the video, detectives determined the man wasn’t involved in starting the fire and had him released from the King County Jail. Police are still searching for the actual suspects and said one of them may have suffered a heat injury or singed hair or eyebrows.
Yoooo, I’m not making light of anybody getting hurt, but if police are right about what happened here, imagine leaving the house to allegedly steal some gas and coming home needing gas, a new car AND some new eyebrows.
Apparently, sometimes karma has same-day delivery. Wait… WHAT?!
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