Police believe Peachtree City Walmart fire ‘intentionally set’

PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. (CBS46) - The Peachtree City Police Department believes that the fire at Walmart on Wednesday night was “intentionally set.”

Peachtree City emergency personnel responded the Walmart on West Highway 54 at approximately 7:20 p.m. Police officers helped to evacuate the building while fire departments from Coweta County, Fayetteville and Fayette County arrived on scene.

Firefighters battled the fire throughout the night and it was finally extinguished around 4 a.m. Although the store’s sprinkler system did function as designed, the store suffered extensive damage to the interior and the roof. There is no current timeline on when the story will be reopened.

Although the police officers who evacuated the store had to be treated for smoke inhalation, no one was seriously injured.

The Peachtree City Police Department is asking for anyone with information about the cause of the fire 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 at https://secure.coplogic.com/dors/startreport/300002794

ORIGINAL STORY

It was all hands on deck Wednesday night after a large fire broke out inside the Walmart in Peachtree City, sending customers and employees running outside to evacuate.

Firefighters from Coweta County, Fayette County, and Fayetteville all responded to help put out the blaze at the Walmart on the 2700 block of Highway 54.

Peachtree City Fire Department spokesman Will Harbin told CBS46 that the fire started in a retail section towards the back of the store but could not confirm which one.

Thick black smoke filled the night sky. Fire crews say initially they tried to fight the flames from inside but then the interior of the building started collapsing so they took a more defensive approach from outside to get the blaze under control.

According to fire officials, three Peachtree City police officers were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

“Three officers made entry to the building to help facilitate evacuation and were affected by smoke inhalation. They were transported to Fayette Piedmont Hospital where they were treated and discharged later that evening,” said Lt. Brad Williams, Peachtree City Police Department.

CBS46 reached out to Walmart for comment and received the following statement:

One CBS46 viewer sent us videos showing black smoke billowing from the rooftop.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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