Maui police are investigating whether three car fires reported within five hours in Kihei overnight is the work of one arsonist.

The first alarm was reported at 10 p.m. at 851 S. Kihei Rd and involved a white van in the parking lot of Paradise Gardens. The fire was controlled by bystanders with a hose before firefighters arrived.

The second alarm, called in at 12:50 a.m., involved a gold Mercury sedan at 143 Namauu St. Firefighters extinguished that fire at 1:22 a.m.

At 2:23 a.m., Maui firefighters were again summoned. This third car fire was at the Wailea Hotel, formerly the Diamond Resort, at 555 Kaukahi St. When firefighters arrived they found a GM Jeep Wrangler engulfed in flames. Also damaged was a Ford SUV parked next to jeep in the parking lot. The fires were extinguished by 2:50 a.m. 

 A fire investigator, who was only called to the Wailea Hotel parking lot fire, estimated damage to the Jeep at $25,000.00. The Ford suffered $2,500 in damages. The investigator classified the blaze as intentional.

The three cases were handed over to Maui police for further investigation.