An arsonist tried to set fire to three cars parked in the driveway of a Layton home early Monday but damaged only one, Layton Fire Chief Alan Peek reported.
The rear end of one car was set afire and a flammable liquid was poured down the sides of the other two, in addition to an incendiary device stuck underneath a second car, Peek said.The arsonist also inserted wicks in the gas tanks of two of the cars, the chief said.
Firefighters responded to the home at 437 W. 1925 North, just before 6 a.m., alerted by a neighbor, Peek said. The neighbor had put the fire out, but while firefighters were investigating they found the wick of what appeared to be a pipe bomb underneath the second car, Peek said.
They called the Layton police and the sheriff's office bomb expert to the scene, Peek said, and disabled the device.
Peek said the construction of the fuse on the device makes it appear it was built by someone familiar with explo-sives.
There was only minor damage to the car that was set afire, Peek said, but the potential was much greater. "It just didn't light up the way they thought it would when it was set off," the chief said.
Peek said the homeowner was surprised at the incident and told firefighters he is unsure why the attempt was made.