Fire inside Chicago area Target leaves $1.5m in damage, suspect arrested
People were reportedly inside the superstore when the fire broke out
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A man has been arrested on suspicion of starting a fire that broke out at a ChicagoTarget store resulting in $1.5 million in damages, reports said.
Denny Ellis, 57, of Nevada, was charged on Sunday with aggravated arson after a fire was sparked on Thursday afternoon at a Target store on Mannheim Rd, according to NBC Chicago and jail records.
At least 12 fire departments including the Rosemont Public Safety Department responded to an emergency alert regarding the incident at around 12:08pm on Thursday, according to Journal & Topics.
Employees reportedly located the fire near the children and baby aisle and attempted to put out the flames, ABC7Chicago reported
They were able to deploy fire extinguishers and were able to dampen the flames along with sprinkler heads before firefighters arrived at the scene, according to CBS.
The fire started at a time when employees and customers were inside the building. Everyone was evacuated safely except for one person who was hospitalized, ABC7 reported.
Police said that smoke damage "extended beyond the area of the fire and included most of the store" resulting in a total loss of at least $1.5 million, NBC Chicago added.
There was major damage to the store due to fire, smoke, and water, said the outlets.
Shortly after the fire was controlled, police reportedly were able to identify a suspect through license plates which tracked the vehicle to a spot in the suburban area of Elk Grove Village, as per NBC.
Police are yet to determine the cause of the arson attack. The store has been closed since the incident due to the damage incurred and cleanup required, CBS added.
Ellis was booked into Cook County Jail on Sunday, jail records stated.
The Rosemont PSD advised anyone who had been impacted by the incident to contact their department.
The suspect is next due in court in Rolling Meadows on Tuesday and is being held without bond, as revealed by jail records.