BLACKSTONE, Va. — An 18-year-old employee is accused of setting the store on fire Friday afternoon, requiring multiple fire departments to respond.
Bernett Wilson, 18, is facing arson and destruction of property charges after police say he set a Family Dollar store on fire on North Main Street in Blackstone.
In an arraignment hearing that ended Wednesday, Wilson indicated he plans to hire his own attorney. He has yet to enter a plea.
The Blackstone Volunteer Fire Department was called to the store at around 4 p.m. last Friday.
Officials say extreme heat made the fire difficult to fight, with crews using 1,000 gallons of water per minute to knock down the bulk of it. Multiple additional departments were called in to help.
Two firefighters were taken to an emergency room after responding to the scene — one for a fall injury and the other for a heat-related injury.
Police say Wilson was an employee of the store. Officials say he admitted to starting the fire.
The Family Dollar remains closed.
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