Officials need help identifying suspected Haltom City arsonist

Authorities need the public’s help in identifying a suspected arsonist who was blasted away from an explosion as he destroyed a Haltom City auto shop.

Ken McCreary, owner of Ken’s Auto Repair, is scooping up his life's work after his shop was destroyed by a suspected arsonist.

A security camera caught a person moving around the front of the shop on Monday around 5 a.m. Fire investigators believe, at some point, the suspect broke a window and poured in a flammable liquid.

"By looking at the explosion with the over pressure, it's almost like he poured it then those fumes just filled that building up,” explained Haltom City Fire Marshal Fred Napp.

In the video, a man walks to the street to make sure the coast is clear and runs back to set the fire. The fire marshal says the man was blasted about 10 feet into the parking lot, and his ball cap flew out about 20 feet.

“This guy got a good blast in the face,” said Napp. “So it is possible he could have some flash burns on him."

The video captured the man running away, but he goes back to grab something. Fire investigators aren’t sure what that was.

A firefighter was injured and required stitches on his arm. Because of that, Napp believes the man is looking at stiffer jail time if he's caught and convicted.

"You get what you give, and he's gonna get a lot,” said McCreary. “Hope they can figure out who it is, so it doesn't happen to someone else."

The Haltom City Fire Marshal asks anyone who can identify the suspect to call their office at (817) 759-8664