Arson attack at U.S. consulate in Tijuana

An arsonist doused several vehicles parked at the U.S. consulate in Tijuana with gasoline during the early-morning hours of New Year's day and set them on fire, according to multiple press reports.

The vehicles — two sedans, a pickup, and a van — belonged to the U.S. government and were assigned to the consulate, El Sol de Tijuana reported. The fires were quickly extinguished by firefighters, according to El Sol.

Tijuana police received an emergency call minutes before 1 a.m. reporting the incident at the consulate, located on Boulevar Lázaro Cardenas in Colonia Bosque de las Urucarias, El Mexicano reported.

One of the vehicles, the newspaper reported, was armored.

An anonymous police source told El Mexicano there had been no threats received against the consulate and that investigators believe "it could be a resentful person” upset over having had a visa denied.

Access to the vehicles was gained via an area currently under construction, the source said.

The incident is under investigation by Mexican federal authorities and the FBI.