An arson investigation is underway as authorities try to determine if a fire at a San Jose apartment complex was started by a Molotov cocktail.
The fire broke out Wednesday night in a carport at the Alterra apartments on Almaden Road.
Police received conflicting reports about what had happened. Some witnesses claimed to have heard gunshots, but KPIX-5 reported that police confirmed that no shots were fired.
Several apartments were evacuated, but have been allowed to return home. The carport that caught fire is directly beneath three stories of homes.
Complex resident Matt James was surprised to learn that the fire may have been the result of a homemade bomb.
"I would expect a fire being of natural causes or by an accident, never by Molotov cocktail or anything like that," he said.
James told KCBS Radio that it's typically a quiet area.
"It's a bit staggering, honestly, because you wouldn't think it would happen around here," he said. "You hear some sirens in the distance, but that's about it. It's never around here, really."
There were no reports of any injuries as a result of the fire.
