Nearly 30 firefighters were in the area of Hillcrest and North Park to fight a series of fires that occurred within an hour.

By 11 a.m. Monday, officials said there were a total of eight fires.

The most recent was reported at 7:46 a.m. inside a shopping center near Vermont Street and University Avenue.



San Diego Fire-Rescue Battalion Chief Rob Hartman said there were multiple fires in trash cans within the shopping center.

Approximately 30 minutes earlier, at 7:19 a.m., a fire was reported in two trash cans near the Ace Hardware store at 10th and University Avenue.

A fire was reported inside a shed near the corner of Essex and Richmond streets at 7:10 a.m. The homeowner told NBC 7 he awoke Monday to find the shed in front of his home on fire.

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Approximately one block away from the shed fire, just before 7 a.m., a call came in at Herbert and University where a small trash can and nearby garbage cans were on fire.

Hartman said the trash can fire did significant damage to a home.

One of the residents in the area -- who happened to extinguish one of the fires, expressed frustration over the spate of blazes.

"Pull yourself together. That's ridiculous," said Len Dewit. "We're trying to have a great community here and you're lighting a dumpster fire with apartments right here. That's ridiculous."



San Diego Fire-Rescue and San Diego Police were responding to the area and investigating a possible connection between the fire.

Two car fires were reported earlier Monday at Boundary Street and Lincoln Avenue, approximately two miles east of the other fires. Hartman did not say if those fires were being investigated along with the trash fires.



Fire officials said the fires were suspicious in nature and they are continuing the investigation. They will talk with witnesses and examine surveillance video.