Investigators: Arson damages truck, float

TAMPA - Fire investigators say a fire that destroyed a truck and caused damage to a parade float early Sunday was intentionally set.

Firefighters say the truck was parked outside Hoops Auto Service on Nebraska Ave. when they found it in flames around 6:30 a.m. They believe the float, which was parked in front of the business next door, belongs to the Spirit Cigar City Krewe.

Fire crews brought the flames under control in about 20 minutes, preventing it from spreading to the nearby buildings and from further damaging the float. No injuries were reported.

Firefighters say the truck was full of tires and piles of tires were also on the ground next to it, and most were damaged. The parade float sustained only moderate damage.

The fire remains under investigation.