Peachtree City Walmart fire being investigated as arson
Officer rush in to evacuate Peachtree City Walmart after fire breaks out
Body cam video released a day after a fire gutted a portion of the Peachtree City Walmart shows officer frantic running through the store just minutes after being called to the scene to make sure everyone was out. Investigators now believe that fire was intentionally set and are asking anyone in the store at the time to contact them.
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. - A 4-alarm fire that caused significant damage at Peachtree City Walmart Wednesday night was likely intentionally set, officials tell FOX 5.
Firefighters responded around 7:20 p.m. to a report of a fire at Walmart, located at 2717 Georgia Highway 54. Another alert was given to firefighters when the sprinklers went off in an attempt to begin to suppress the blaze.
"A building like this has a large fire load, fire load meaning the materials stored inside the building," Peachtree City Fire Department Assistant Chief Wil Harbin.
Firefighters said the sprinklers were quickly overwhelmed.
Peachtree City police officers were the first at the scene. Body cam video released on Thursday shows those officers running through the store to make sure everyone was evacuated.
"Anybody else in here? Everybody out!" one officer could be heard yelling.
Credit: Peachtree City Police Department and Peachtree City Fire Rescue
Three of those officers had to be taken to the hospital after being overcome by smoke.
During the last 24 hours, social media was abuzz praising their efforts.
Firefighters with Peachtree City, Coweta County, Fayetteville, and Fayette County fire departments arrived soon after to find a rack of merchandise on a back row of the store ablaze. The flames at that point had been licking at the roof for a few minutes and had begun to make it unstable.
Departments battled the fire throughout the night until it was extinguished around 4 a.m. Thursday.
Thankfully, no one was seriously injured.
The store did suffer extensive damage to the interior and roof. There is no current timeline on when the store will be reopened.
Preliminary investigation suggests the fire was intentionally set, according to Peachtree City Police Department.
Walmart said they are stocking up their Newnan store to help offset the store's closure. All prescriptions being filled at the Peachtree City location will also be transferred to that location.
Anyone with information, video, or images related to the cause of the fire is asked to contact Sgt. Brad Milstein at bmilstein@peachtree-city.org. You can also submit an anonymous tip over the phone at 770-487-6010 or online.