‘We could have died:’ Cars intentionally set on fire in Buckeye driveway

BUCKEYE, AZ (AZFamily) — Buckeye police are searching for the person who set fire to two cars in the driveway of a house as a family slept inside.

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The fire broke out around 10 p.m. Wednesday at a home on Gregory Road, near the intersection of Apache and Broadway roads, and security cameras captured the moment the driveway became a wall of fire.

Family wakes up to fire

Athena Medina said she and her family were asleep when the fire started and only found out because neighbors pounded on their door, warning them their front yard was ablaze.

“We heard bombs, like it sounded literally like bombs going off in the front. It was a bunch of popping,” Medina said.

Medina said her daughter checked her brothers’ room and discovered the fire, prompting a scramble to get everyone out safely while both her fiancé’s and son’s cars, parked just feet from where her children slept, were engulfed in flames.

“All I think about is that we could have died. My boys could have gotten hurt,” Medina said.

Damage left behind

The family escaped without injury, but the fire left charred metal, melted tires and a heavily damaged garage that also served as her son’s bedroom, leaving Medina uncertain how the family will recover financially since neither car was insured.

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“I’m not rich. I don’t know what we’re going to do. I really don’t,” Medina said.

Buckeye police said the cars did not catch fire on their own and are investigating the case as arson, though they have not caught the person or people responsible.

“I’m so scared somebody’s going to come back because they haven’t caught them. I worry about my kids. I’ve never been through anything like this. This is devastating,” Medina said.

What’s next

Anyone with information is urged to call the non-emergency number at 623-349-5050 or submit a tip at https://www.buckeyeaz.gov/crimetip.

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