An employee has been charged with arson in a weekend fire at a Roanoke, Virginia pet store that caused about $2 million in damage.
Roanoke Fire Department spokeswoman Tiffany Bradbury said 18-year-old Corey Brian Hite of Ivanhoe in Wythe County was arrested Tuesday.
She says firefighters were called to the PetSmart store Saturday afternoon and found thick smoke coming from the store.
No one was injured, and all the animals were evacuated safely.
Shoppers in an adjacent Target store also were evacuated.
Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Topics Virginia
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
Fla. Commissioner Offers Major Changes to Citizens’ Commercial Clearinghouse Plan 
Insurance Broker Stocks Sink as AI App Sparks Disruption Fears 
AIG’s Zaffino: Outcomes From AI Use Went From ‘Aspirational’ to ‘Beyond Expectations’ 
CFC Owners Said to Tap Banks for Sale, IPO of £5 Billion Insurer 
