WDBJ7 Roanoke News and Weather NRV Lynchburg Danville | UPDATED: PetSmart employee charged with arson after weekend fire
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Firefighters were called to the Valley View Boulevard store around 1 p.m. Saturday.A PetSmart employee has been arrested and charged with arson after a weekend fire at the store.
Corey Brian Hite, age 18, of Ivanhoe was arrested Tuesday. He's charged with one count of arson with additional charges pending.
Firefighters were called to the Valley View Boulevard store around 1 p.m. Saturday. The fire caused at least $2 million in damage.
PetSmart is still closed.
Here is the full news release:
On Saturday, November 14, 2009, Roanoke Fire-EMS responded to a commercial structure fire at PetSmart located near Valley View Mall.
On Tuesday, November 17, 2009, Corey Brian Hite, age 18 of Ivanhoe, VA and an employee of PetSmart was arrested and charged with one count of arson with additional charges pending. Damage estimates caused by the fire are at least $2 million. The City of Roanoke Police Department and the ATF also assisted in this investigation.
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The PetSmart on Valley View Boulevard in Roanoke was evacuated Saturday afternoon as well as the Target store next door, after a fire started around 1 p.m.
Tiffany Bradbury, with Roanoke Fire-EMS, says when fire crews arrived at the pet store they found heavy smoke.
All the pets are safe, and no one was injured in the fire. The store's sprinkler system helped to contain it.
Shoppers should expect heavy traffic delays in the area.
