Bomb Fears Allow Mall Arson Fire to Burn Unmitigated – A disturbed young man carrying a lighter and backpack reeking of a “chemical” odor, ordered employees out of a GameStop video store in the Westfield Galleria at Roseville, California shortly after opening on Thursday. After barricading himself in the backroom, he repelled responding security with the additional verbal threat of a firearm, and then lit fire to the store. While the sprinkler system contained the flames, firefighters were held at bay for fear of an explosive device left inside. Water caused a bomb robot to short-circuit during the standoff, and a decision was made to shut down the mall’s sprinkler system. The bomb squad entered, but was driven back as the fire flared up. The backpack and a second robot were buried when a section of roof collapsed, leaving firefighters unable to directly attack the seat of the fire. The perpetrator was apprehended outside the mall less than two hours into the incident, and is also suspected in arson fires in a house and a Walmart in the area earlier that day. Damage was estimated at $55 million.
