Fernandina Beach is on the lookout for an arsonist after a man was caught on camera setting fire to an umbrella at Sliders Seaside Grill, a popular Fletcher Avenue eatery. The early morning blaze drew a swift response from local fire and police departments, as well as the State of Florida Fire Marshal's Office. According to News4Jax, the footage revealed a middle-aged man with a distinctive tattoo on his calf lighting the fire intentionally.
Responding just after 1 a.m., firefighters and officers extinguished the fire, which was deemed active upon their arrival. Observed using a lighter to ignite a patio umbrella, the suspect's actions are part of an investigation that suggests a spree of deliberate fires in the vicinity. "It's critical that he is caught before someone is seriously injured," Fernandina Beach Fire Chief Jeremy Holmes stated, as reported by Jacksonville.com. The search intensifies as police indicated the suspect may reside near First Avenue in Fernandina Beach.
The urgency to apprehend the arsonist is underscored by the potential for escalating harm. Chief Holmes highlighted the danger, saying multiple points of origin were identified at the scene of the blaze. While the building's sprinkler system played a crucial role in containment, the outcome could have been far grimmer, had the firefighters not been able to control the situation promptly. Sliders Seaside Grill, despite the ordeal, confirmed they remained open for business that afternoon, a testament to the staff's resilience and swift recovery efforts shared in an interview with News4Jax.
Adding to the narrative of the suspected arsonist's behavior, a manager from the restaurant, Mitchell Aarons, detailed the intrusion. The man, after breaking in through the back door, reached for a bottle of alcohol behind the counter before igniting various items in the kitchen on fire. "My bosses were there all night working on the aftermath," Aarons told First Coast News, painting a picture of the hectic scene that unfolded.
