Newly released surveillance video shows a man walking into Ant's Community Garage on Rainier Avenue South at 1 p.m. on July 28 carrying a bottle or container in his left hand, disappearing into the shop's bathroom for about a minute, and then running out just as an explosion burst through the bathroom door behind him. Employees and customers scrambled to evacuate the self-service auto shop while calling 911, and the suspect fled the scene in a white SUV.
The footage, first reported by KOMO News, offers the clearest look yet at how the fire started at the shop located near Rainier Avenue South and South Massachusetts Street. Seattle Fire Department dispatch logs show crews were sent to 1543 Rainier Ave S at 2:02 p.m. that day under incident F260105553, with Engine 2, Engine 10, Engine 13, Engine 25, Ladder 3, and Battalion 2 all responding to the commercial building fire, according to SFD Live. Firefighters managed to contain the blaze to the shop's office area, though the damage was enough to force the location's closure.
Owner Says Business Was Finally Taking Off
Shop owner Alastair Flynn told KOMO the business had been starting to gain momentum right before the fire hit. He said Seattle needed a place like Ant's Community Garage, and that he now wants answers and wants the suspect identified. A building inspector is scheduled to determine whether the structure can even be salvaged, per Flynn's account to the station.
Ant's Community Garage gave do-it-yourself mechanics access to rental repair bays by the hour, half-day, or full day, complete with hydraulic lifts, air hoses, and 500-piece tool sets, near a local NAPA Auto Parts store, according to the shop's own Square booking page. The business first opened its original shop in Everett in May 2023 before expanding to the Rainier Avenue South location in December 2024, per My Everett News, meaning the Seattle outpost had been running for less than two years before it was destroyed.
Community Fundraiser Launched Two Days After the Fire
Flynn launched a GoFundMe campaign titled Help Restore Ant's Garage After Arson Attack on July 30, setting a $35,000 goal to cover rebuilding costs and replace equipment lost in the blaze. Community members have been contributing to help restore the shop, with the fundraiser going live just two days after the fire tore through the facility. Seattle police are asking anyone who recognizes the man in the surveillance footage to call (206) 625-5011.
Legal Stakes for a First-Degree Arson Charge
Under Washington Revised Code 9A.48.020, intentionally setting fire to a building containing non-participant occupants, or causing an explosion manifestly dangerous to human life, constitutes Arson in the First Degree — a Class A felony punishable by up to life imprisonment and a $50,000 fine, according to the Washington State Legislature. Investigators have asked the public to help identify the man accused of starting the fire, though no arrest had been announced as of the article's most recent update.
A Corridor With a History of Fires
This is not the first time fire investigators have focused on the Rainier Avenue South corridor. Seattle Police Arson/Bomb Squad detectives investigated a cluster of intentionally set fires in South Seattle in July 2025, including a $300,000 arson fire at a funeral home on the 4500 block of Rainier Avenue South, according to the SPD Blotter. Hoodline previously reported on a Rainier Ave apartment fire in the 6300 block in February, and the corridor also saw a rock-throwing spree near South Henderson Street in March. It remains unknown whether investigators have found any connection between this fire and the earlier South Seattle arson cluster.
The fire at Ant's Community Garage also arrives amid broader statewide declines in crime. The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs' 2025 annual report, released in August, found that overall violent crime dropped 13.8% and homicides fell 21.6% statewide compared to 2024, per MyNorthwest. Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes had separately reported an 18% overall drop in city crime for 2025 back in February, crediting the department's Real Time Crime Center for helping major felony investigations across the city. Even so, commercial arsons along Rainier Avenue South continue to present a persistent challenge for local business owners and investigators alike.
