Morgan Hill police are asking for the public's help after an early morning fire outside the Safeway at Tennant Station yesterday, a blaze investigators are treating as arson. Officers have shared photos from the scene as they hunt for leads, and so far the department has not reported any arrests.
According to a post from the Morgan Hill Police Department, the fire sparked at about 4:35 AM outside the store. The department released images intended to help identify a person of interest and urged anyone who knows something to speak up.
Where the Fire Occurred
Per Safeway, the store anchors the Tennant Station shopping center at 235 Tennant Station. The strip center draws shoppers from across South County and sits near the intersection of Monterey Road and Tennant Avenue.
Suspect Description
Police described the person of interest as a Caucasian male approximately 40 to 50 years old with a shaved head and facial hair, last seen in a black T-shirt, black pants, black shoes and carrying a black backpack, according to the department's Morgan Hill Police Department post. Investigators asked anyone with tips, photos or video tied to the incident to contact the non-emergency dispatch line.
Background
Arson has surfaced in the area before, and in 2023, Morgan Hill police arrested a man accused of setting multiple fires across South County, including incidents along the Monterey Road corridor, according to reporting by the Morgan Hill Times. That earlier investigation focused on dumpster and vegetation fires and pulled in a multi-agency response.
How to Help
Anyone who was in the Tennant Station area around 4:35 AM, or who may have dash-cam or surveillance footage from that time, is asked to share it with investigators. Per the City of Morgan Hill, the police non-emergency dispatch number for tips is (408) 779-2101.
