- The Washington Times - Wednesday, August 31, 2022

Authorities in Peachtree City, Georgia have arrested a 14-year-old girl suspected of starting a fire in the paper goods aisle of the town’s Walmart on Aug. 24.

At around 7:20 p.m. on Aug. 24, emergency personnel responded to the Walmart, engulfed in a structural fire that they would not put out until around 4 a.m. the following day.

Eyewitness testimony and recovered camera footage provided detectives with a lead to the suspect, who was arrested Tuesday.

The suspect, when interviewed by officers, “admitted to starting the fire,” and was taken into custody and charged with first-degree arson, the Peachtree City Police Department said in a statement.

No injuries resulted from the blaze, but damage to the structure and roof leave the store with no definitive timeline to reopen.

“The person who set this fire is very lucky that they didn’t injure themselves in the case,” Peachtree City Fire Marshal Jeff Felmet told WGCL-TV, an Atlanta CBS affiliate.


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No motive has been given for why the teen allegedly started the fire.

“It was stated to be an impulsive decision that was not planned,” Peachtree City Police told the Belleville News-Democrat.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.

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