Suspected Halloween arson destroys much of San Francisco company’s fleet

SF moving company trucks set on fire The co-owner of a San Francisco residential moving company is trying to keep his small business running and serve clients after a suspected arson destroys or damages half his fleet. The Brief More than half of One Big Man & One Big Truck Moving Company’s fleet was destroyed or damaged in a suspected Halloween night fire in San Francisco's Bayview neighborhood. Company co-owner Wolf Matt said replacing each destroyed vehicle costs $150,000, though the business has used rental vehicles to avoid canceling any client jobs. Fire investigators have not ruled out arson as the cause of the blaze, which occurred on property leased from the Port of San Francisco. SAN FRANCISCO - A longtime San Francisco moving company is recovering after more than half of its fleet of trucks was destroyed or damaged in a suspected arson on Halloween night. Company ablaze Why you should care: More than half of One Big Man & One Big Truck Moving Company’s fleet was destroyed or damaged in a suspected Halloween night fire in San Francisco's Bayview neighborhood. Mark Ryser, an employee at One Big Man & One Big Truck Moving Company in the city's Bayview neighborhood, arrived at the office to discover the aftermath of the blaze the next day. "I was shocked at first," Ryser said. "When I came, I was first at the office. I saw a little bit of burn on the door because I think they were trying to burn the building as well." Company co-owner Wolf Matt shared video posted on social media showing the fire that broke out shortly after 11 p.m. on Halloween night at the property, which he leases from the Port of San Francisco. "It's painful," Matt said. "I bought every single vehicle and there is an emotional attachment to it." Matt said the company was founded in 1983, and he became an owner in 2001. The business employs 18 people to help clients move homes. Following the fire, four trucks were destroyed and one was damaged, though it may be repairable—impacting more than half of his nine-vehicle fleet. Not the first arson Big picture view: More than half of One Big Man & One Big Truck Moving Company’s fleet was destroyed or damaged in a suspected Halloween night fire in San Francisco's Bayview neighborhood. According to Matt, this is the fourth arson on the Port of San Francisco property in two years, though it is the first to affect his business. While security cameras are present on the property, Matt said port officials told him the cameras did not capture what happened because they were not aimed in the direction of his vehicles. There is also no lighting in the area, and suspicion is that the person responsible jumped a fence to access the property. Matt said he is working with the port to improve security. Matt credited the fire department with a quick response. As for who started the fire, Matt speculated on potential motives. "It could be targeted, an arsonist targeting the port," Matt said. "Could be a person who just has a disorder." Matt noted that each truck costs $150,000 to replace and the vehicles are difficult to locate. While he has insurance, claims take time to process. Using rental vehicles, the company has managed to keep its schedule without canceling any jobs. "So far, we're getting by the way we are," Ryser said. "It's just a lot harder." Despite the setback, Ryser said employees are thankful no one was injured and that the building remained intact. "We're all just happy that it could have been a lot worse. Somebody could have been hurt. The whole building could have burnt down," Ryser said. "Overall, we're just putting things in perspective and moving forward, trying to rebuild, and hopefully we come back stronger and better than before, so that's the goal." A fire department spokesman said investigators have not ruled out arson and declined to release further details. Matt has started an online fundraiser on GoFundMe to help keep the business afloat. Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Reach Amber at [email protected], text/leave a message at 510-599-3922, or follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @AmberKTVU, and TikTok @amberleenews. The Source: Interviews with co-owner Wolf Matt and employee Mark Ryser San Francisco Small Business SFFD News