SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Officers in Chula Vista rushed into a supermarket Saturday morning to rescue an employee from the burning building. Hours later, police arrested a suspect 100 miles away, Chula Vista police report.

On Saturday morning, Chula Vista Police officers responded to emergency calls for assistance with a fire at a 7-Eleven convenience store on the 800 block of Broadway in Chula Vista.

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Officers arrived at the scene outside the Chula Vista Fire Department at about 8:12 a.m. and found smoke coming from inside the store and an employee exiting the building with burns, according to the police department. However, when officers heard a voice inside the building, they ran into the store.

According to police, three officers rushed into the building to rescue the second victim, also an employee. Officers reported that she suffered severe burns and was unable to leave the store on her own, so they had to rescue her from the burning building. Police said she was taken to the hospital for treatment of her life-threatening injuries.

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At this point, firefighters arrived on site and were able to extinguish the fire.

The other employee, who was already outside when officers arrived, was also taken to hospital with severe burns, but police believe these are not life-threatening.

Due to the suspicious nature of the fire, detectives from the Chula Vista Police Department and the Chula Vista Fire Department (arson investigators) were called to the scene to investigate the incident.

During the course of the investigation, authorities were able to determine that a man had entered the store shortly before the fire broke out. He was believed to be carrying a flammable liquid, which police say he may have used to start the fire before fleeing the scene in a vehicle.

Police describe the suspect as a man of Latino descent wearing a green sweatshirt with possible burn marks and report he fled the scene in a dark BMW sedan.

After entering the suspect’s vehicle into the automatic license plate reader (ALPR), police were notified Saturday afternoon by officers in Redlands, California, that they had located the vehicle at a gas station in the area, which is about 100 miles north of Chula Vista.

Redlands police arrested Jose Carlos Villanueva, 47, of Chula Vista. He was arrested without incident and taken into custody to be returned to Chula Vista for processing of his case, Chula Vista police report.

Investigators believe the suspect knew at least one of the victims and say this is unlikely to have been a coincidence.

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The three Chula Vista police officers who ran into the building were diagnosed with smoke inhalation at the scene. All three officers were exonerated, but police said they will continue to monitor them.

Authorities are asking any witnesses who may have been in the area of ​​Broadway and L Street on Saturday morning to contact San Diego County Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477 or submit tips anonymously online or through the P3tips mobile app.

This story is developing. Check back later for updates

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