Investigators looking for three people for questioning in Harbison Wal-Mart fire

Columbia, SC (Paul Kirby) – Columbia Police Department investigators are hoping the public can help them identify and locate the two males and one female that were caught on surveillance footage at the doors of the Wal-Mart in Harbison early Tuesday. They want to ask them some questions about the fire at that store that is close to the I-26 interchange on Harbison Boulevard. The fire that started around 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday is estimated to have done about 3 million dollars worth of damages to the store and its contents. Fortunately, no one was injured during the blaze. The store, which is located in Lexington County, was annexed into the City of Columbia years ago making the Columbia Police Department the lead law enforcement agency.

Investigators now believe that the fire was intentionally set in a food aisle of the store, according to the CPD’s Twitter page. They say only a few employees and customers were inside the building at the time and while no one was injured, flames and smoke caused significant damage to parts of the store. Although the pharmacy will be serving customers, the rest of the store will stay closed until the building has been inspected, completely cleaned up, and restocked.

The people they’d like to speak with were observed getting out of an older model, green SUV that appears to be a Chevy Tahoe or Suburban. The investigators are continuing to review surveillance video related to the incident according to the department.

Citizens who believe they have information regarding the fire or persons of interest are encouraged to contact Crimestoppers by calling 1-888-CRIME-SC. You can also go to their website at www.midlandscrimestoppers.com, and click on the red “Submit a Tip” tab. You may be eligible for a cash reward if your tip leads to an arrest.