Columbia, SC (WLTX) - A fire at a Columbia Walmart that caused $6 million in damage appears to have been started by a juvenile.
Columbia Fire Chief Aubrey Jenkins said Friday they have made contact with the child and charges could be coming. Jenkins said it appears the fire was sent intentionally.
The night before, Jenkins had said the fire's origin was 'suspicious.' They made that determination because the fire started in the paper section.
"It started in an area where it would have been hard to start a fire," Jenkins said.
Jenkins also said there is surveillance video that's helping in the investigation.
The blaze began a little after 8 p.m. at the location along Garners Ferry Road. As a precaution, people were told to leave the store.
Jenkins says actual damage to the store is about $5,000, but he said that Walmart told him that all of the inventory in the store will have to be replaced because smoke filled the whole building. Jenkins said he was told the estimated damage to the merchandise is about $6 million.
Chief Jenkins has said it will be closed for "a while".
On Friday morning, people came to the store to try and shop and pick up their prescriptions.
"I drove into the parking lot and then I saw the sign and I said let me drive back around before I get out of the car with the baby," says Jennifer Brunson. "That's when I saw the sign 'Store Closed.'"
Brunson drove from Hopkins, but will drive to the Forest Drive location to shop.
We're told that the pharmacy is transferring ordered prescriptions to that location as well.
Customers can also call the Forest Drive location to see if they can pick up their medicine.
No word yet on when the store will reopen. At this time Walmart says they are assessing the damages to see what merchandise can be salvaged.