The Oregon City Police Department is asking for help from the public in apprehending the suspect responsible for an early morning arson fire at the Oregon City Wilco store.
The fire broke out at approximately 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 27, and ripped through straw and hay bales stacked in the store’s outdoor warehouse loading area, triggering the fire alarm and sprinkler system.
Clackamas Fire District crews responded to the scene on Molalla Avenue to find a smoldering fire in the piles of baled hay and straw, partially controlled by the sprinkler system.
Once on the scene, firefighters were able to completely extinguish the blaze.
After determining there were no existing sources of ignition, Clackamas Fire investigators turned to the store manager for video footage caught by the on-site security cameras, which told the entire story.
Acccording to police, the videos showed that a suspect had gone out of their way to ignite the bales, then remained on scene to watch the flames grow before disappearing.
The Oregon City Police Department is asking anyone with information about this incident or who knows the identity or whereabouts of the suspect captured by the store’s security cameras to contact their tip line at 503-905-3505.
