By Mark LaFlamme,Staff Writer

LEWISTON – Police on Wednesday said they were closing in on a suspect in a rash of fires that burned three vehicles in the downtown area overnight.

Several people were questioned about the fires that police said were intentionally set over a span of roughly a half-hour.

No arrests had been made by Wednesday night. Police said key evidence still has to be examined before a suspect is taken into custody.

“There was evidence at the scene that’s going to be taken to the state crime lab, where it will be processed,” said Lewiston police Lt. Tom Avery. “There is one piece of evidence that is of great interest to us. We’re hoping it will lead us to the identity of the suspect.”

Avery did not want to provide details about what evidence had been obtained while the case is under investigation.

Lewiston police Detective Marc Robitaille and fire Investigator Paul Ouellette spent most of the day Wednesday cultivating leads and examining evidence from the three burned-out vehicles: a pickup truck and two cars.

The arson spree began at about 11:20 p.m. Tuesday when a car parked on Oak Street went up in flames. Fire officials almost immediately reported that the fire had been set.

At midnight, a Ford pickup truck was reported ablaze on Canal Street Alley. Flames spread to a nearby building before firefighters were able to knock it down.

The third car to burn was a Hyundai parked in front of Simones’ Hot Dog Stand on Chestnut Street. Investigators said a fourth car found vandalized on Park Street was likely the work of the same suspect.

What remained unanswered Wednesday night was a motive for the arson rampage.

“We don’t know why these targets were chosen,” Avery said. “Were they targets of opportunity or were there reasons why these particular vehicles were targeted? Without knowing what the person intended, it’s hard to say right now.”