A fiery blast lit up the long-abandoned DeSoto Square Mall in Bradenton on Friday, after deputies say a man set a blaze inside the shuttered shopping center. The fire broke out in a section of the derelict building that has been left open to vandals and trespassers, according to authorities. No injuries were reported, and deputies quickly took a suspect into custody at the scene.
Deputies said the man sparked the blaze by placing an electronic device inside a microwave, triggering what they described as a “fiery explosion,” according to the Tampa Bay Times. The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said the blast was loud enough for nearby residents to hear and powerful enough to send smoke rising above the mall’s roofline. Investigators stayed on site into the afternoon, gathering evidence and talking with witnesses as they worked to piece together exactly what happened.
DeSoto Square's decline and redevelopment
DeSoto Square has sat mostly empty since the mall closed on April 30, 2021, according to Wikipedia. County records list the property at 303 301 Boulevard West and show a proposed “DeSoto Apartments” project that would bring about 140 residential units to the site, per Manatee County.
Investigation and what officials say
Manatee County deputies arrested a man in connection with the fire and said they recovered the device they believe was used to start it, the Tampa Bay Times reports. The sheriff’s office has not yet released the suspect’s name or laid out specific charges. Detectives are working alongside fire investigators to determine whether additional counts will be filed. Authorities secured the area while crews checked the cavernous building for hazards and collected evidence.
County warning on fire risk
The arrest comes as Manatee County remains on high alert for fire danger. Officials imposed a countywide burn ban on June 23 because of hot, dry conditions and warned that “it only takes one spark to start a fire,” according to Manatee County. The notice details what kinds of open burning and pyrotechnics are off-limits while the ban is in place. Local officials say they expect to release more information on the DeSoto Square incident as the investigation moves forward.
