A Mill Valley police officer suffered moderate injuries Sunday, Aug. 23, when an object exploded as the officer tried to put out a suspicious fire in a church parking lot on Camino Alto.

The officer responded around 9 p.m. to a report of a fire in the 200 block of Camino Alto and found a small blaze burning on pavement at the First Church of Christ, Scientist, at 279 Camino Alto, police Lt. Shaun McCracken told the Marin Independent Journal. The fire was on pavement outside the church, not on vegetation, McCracken said.

As the officer attempted to extinguish the flames, an object in the fire exploded. The officer was hurt but still managed to keep the blaze from spreading to a nearby hillside, a potential wildfire concern along the Camino Alto corridor, according to police.

Fire investigators later determined the object contained multiple combustible items, including aerosol containers, according to Patch. Investigators are now working to determine who was responsible for setting the fire.

"Based on the evidence currently available, there is no indication that this incident was directed toward the church or any other faith-based organization," McCracken said.

The department has not released the officer's name or details about the nature of the injuries beyond describing them as moderate. No information about hospitalization or the officer's return to duty has been made public.

No arrests have been made. No suspects have been publicly identified as of Wednesday, Aug. 26. Detective Sgt. David Kollerer is leading the investigation for the Mill Valley Police Department.

Mill Valley police are asking nearby residents to check surveillance cameras for any suspicious activity around the time of the incident. Anyone with information or video footage can contact Kollerer at [email protected]. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 415-721-4547.