A masked man started a fire inside a Delhaize supermarket in Antwerp on Wednesday morning. He tipped an inflammable liquid between the shelves of the supermarket on the Museumstraat before setting it alight. The store's fire extinguishing system put the fire out. Staff and customers were evacuated from the store without injury. The arsonist fled and is still at large.
The manager of the supermarket told VRT News that the arsonist was masked and “only his eyes were visible”.
"While I was doing my morning rounds, I saw a man spray fire accelerant on the floor next to the shelves with toilet paper and cosmetics. A few seconds later he started a fire. The flames reached up to the ceiling and the sprinkler system was activated”.
The arsonist then fled. “He was covered from head to toe, only his eyes were visible. This was of course a strange sight in a shop. The evacuation went smoothly”.
Wouter Bruyns of the Antwerp Local Police Service told VRT News that "The suspect was handing around in the shop just before 9am”. At a certain moment he emptied a bottle of liquid onto the floor and set it on fire. A fire started and the man then fled”.
As the store’s sprinkler system was activated the store suffered water damage as well as being filled with smoke.
Mr Bruyns added that forensics officers with look for clues at the scene and the police will examine CCTV footage shot in the store.
"Fortunately, there were no injuries, but this was a very serious incident, arson in a shop that is open and has customers walking around”.