CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) — A man has been arrested in connection with a fire that critically injured two 7-Eleven employees Saturday morning. The suspect, 47-year-old Jose Carlos Villanueva, was found at a gas station in Redlands, California, hours after the blaze, police said.
Firefighters arrived at the 7-Eleven at 899 Broadway around 8 a.m. to find black smoke pouring from the building. One woman was found engulfed in flames, struggling to escape. Police officers entered the smoke-filled store and rescued a second woman who had been knocked unconscious.
“She was already walking herself out. She had some serious burns at the time ... The officers went into the smoke and one of them was able to find her and pull her out," said Anthony Molina of the Chula Vista Police Department.
Both employees were taken to a local hospital. One woman remains in critical condition with life-threatening burns, while the other’s injuries are serious but not life-threatening.
Investigators believe the fire was intentionally set. They identified Villanueva as the suspect who used a flammable liquid to start the fire before fleeing in a dark BMW sedan.
Villanueva, described as a Hispanic male wearing a green sweater with possible burn marks, was arrested without incident on Saturday afternoon and is being transported back to Chula Vista.
Though his connection to the store and the victims is still under investigation, officials believe Villanueva is known to at least one of the victims and that this was not a random act.
The fire caused significant damage to the store, and nearby businesses have been temporarily closed.
Anyone with information is asked to contact San Diego County Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477 or submit tips anonymously online or through the P3tips mobile app.
