FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 8, 2023

Media Contact: bpdpio@belmont.gov or 650-595-7400

On Friday, Sept. 8, 2023, at approximately 3:40 a.m., a Belmont Police Department Officer, on routine patrol in the area of El Camino Real and Ralston Avenue, noticed the strong odor of smoke in the air.

Officers conducted an area check and found smoke coming from the abandoned gas station at the corner of Hill Street at El Camino Real.

The San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department arrived on scene and extinguished the fire.

The initial investigation determined it was likely the fire was intentionally set. Officers began an area check for a male subject seen in the area walking west on Ralston Avenue immediately prior to the fire being located.

During the area check, a grass fire was located on the north side of Ralston Avenue at Christian Drive. While SMCFD and Cal Fire responded and began to extinguish the fire, BPD Officers located an additional fire in the center median of Highway 92 just west of Ralston Avenue.

Believing the fires to be connected and associated to the same suspect, multiple BPD officers responded to the area. An Officer observed a subject begin two additional fires on the hillside of westbound Highway 92 at northbound Highway 280. While Officers conducted an area check for the suspect, a fire was found in the center median of Highway 280 near the Highway 92 interchange.

Nicholas Elward was contacted walking northbound on Highway 280 and was in possession of items linking him to the fires. Elward was placed under arrest and transported to the Belmont Police Department where he became combative and had to be placed in restraints, however, no Officers were injured during this incident.

Elward was booked into the San Mateo County Jail on the charges listed below.

Upon further review, there was only minimal interior structure damage to the gas station and due to the quick response of BPD locating the additional fires coupled with the immediate response from SMCFD and Cal Fire no homes or other property damage was sustained from any of the additional fires.

The largest burn area was the fire on the north side of Ralston Avenue near Christian Drive which burned less than a quarter of an acre. The other fires were smaller in size.

The Department is working with Cal Fire arson specialists to complete this investigation.

ARRESTED:

Nicholas Elward, 32 years old, San Mateo resident

451(d) PC: Arson, Felony

148(a)(1) PC: Resisting arrest, Misdemeanor

602(j) PC: Malicious mischief, Misdemeanor