A Mill Valley police officer was moderately injured Sunday night when an object exploded as the officer tried to extinguish a small fire in a church parking lot, police said.
The officer responded at about 9 p.m. to a report of a possible fire in the 200 block of Camino Alto and found flames on a paved portion of the parking lot at the First Church of Christ, Scientist.
As the officer attempted to put out the fire, an object inside the flames exploded, causing the injuries, according to the Mill Valley Police Department.
The officer's actions helped prevent the fire from spreading to a nearby hillside, authorities said.
Fire investigators later determined that the object contained multiple combustible items, including aerosol containers.
The department said there was no indication that the incident was directed at the church or another faith-based organization.
Investigators are working to identify the person or people responsible. Police asked residents in the area to check home-security and surveillance cameras for footage showing suspicious activity around the time of the fire.
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This article originally published at Mill Valley officer injured in church parking lot explosion.