Clothing rack at Vancouver Island Walmart set on fire, suspect arrested

A suspect was arrested at a Vancouver Island Walmart after allegedly lighting a clothing rack on fire Thursday night.

The store was evacuated after the fire started around 9:30 p.m., and thankfully no staff, shoppers or firefighters were injured in the blaze, Courtenay Deputy Fire Chief Jonathan Welsh told CTV News.

He said crews arrived to heavy smoke in the store and extinguished the flames in the clothing section, adding the fire was an estimated 10-by-10 feet in size.

The brunt of the damage to the building was from smoke, Welsh said, and about 90 per cent of the store’s merchandise will have to be thrown out.

The Comox Valley RCMP has deemed the fire suspicious, and say they arrested a suspect at the scene.

“It was definitely lit; it wasn’t any kind of accidental fire,” Welsh said.

Mounties are asking anyone who witnessed the fire to call the detachment at [phone] or leave an anonymous tip with Comox Valley Crime Stoppers.

The Walmart remained closed Friday and the fire department says it’s unknown when it will be back open.