COLUMBUS, Ohio – Black Friday could be black indeed for the Walmart in Athens, which was heavily damaged by an arson fire early Tuesday morning and may not reopen in time for the Christmas shopping blitz.
The fire at the store at 929 E. State Street was intentionally set and caused significant damage to the building, which is now undergoing repairs and restoration, State Fire Marshal Larry Flowers said.
According to media reports, store operators were not sure if they would be able to reopen by Friday.
The fire was set early on Tuesday morning and Flowers says an employee prevented more extensive damage by using a nearby fire extinguisher.
Flowers’s office is offering a reward of up to $5,000 i for information leading to the identification of the person or persons responsible for the fires.
“Investigators want to hear from anyone who saw something out of the ordinary at or around the time of the fire or who may have heard someone speaking about the fire with an unusual level of interest or knowledge,” Flowers said
Anyone with information is asked to call the State Fire Marshal’s Fire and Explosion Investigation Bureau at 1-800-589-2728.