An arsonist, a homeless camp, and the auto shop caught in between

At 12:23 p.m. on Nov. 16, a man is seen on surveillance video wearing a white shawl on his head and a brown coat. Cars whiz by as he stands on the I-80 onramp off South Van Ness, uphill from a homeless encampment.

He lights what looks like a cigarette, takes a couple of drags, crouches, then hurls a burning piece of cloth about 10 feet. It lands on top of a tent. Within minutes, the entire encampment is consumed by flames. A woman and man jump out of a nearby tent and flee uphill. “Get out of there!” a woman yells repeatedly.

BOOM! A large explosion, likely from a propane tank, sends burning bits of eucalyptus tree flying everywhere.