Investigators in Memphis are probing what they believe to be a deliberate act of arson after a severe fire ripped through a Westwood strip mall early Friday morning, inflicting substantial damage. According to Local Memphis, the fire engulfed a strip mall on South Third Street near West Holmes Road, which included three businesses.
The blaze, reported to have started around 5:45 a.m., was battled by the Memphis Fire Department, who were forced to deploy aerials due to the heavy smoke upon their arrival which found the fire near the back door. The site of the incident, a strip mall housing the Hawkins Bike Club, along with two other now-shuttered businesses, suffered around $55,200 worth of damages, the MFD stated. The other two businesses, while already out of operation, did see additional damage from the fire that originally took off from the back door.
While no injuries were reported from the incident, the community impact of such a destructive event cannot be understated. Tanya Dunbar, a witness to the inferno, expressed her relief to FOX13 Memphis News, saying, "It was a huge, massive fire," and adding, "I'm just glad no one was injured."
The Memphis Fire Department's initial investigation points to arson, as stated in a report by Action News 5. While the officials continue to sift through evidence and work toward identifying a suspect or suspects, the destruction wrought at the strip mall has left both business owners and the local community grappling with the ramifications of the fire that decision was made to go defensive by MFD after the aerials were deployed.
The arson investigation is ongoing, and authorities are calling for anyone with information to come forward to assist in bringing the perpetrators to justice. The Memphis Fire Department has not yet released additional details but is expected to continue examining the scene for further clues that could elucidate the events leading up to the deliberate blaze.
