State fire officials seek help in identifying Benton arson suspect

The state Fire Marshal’s Office is seeking help from the public in identifying a man believed to have been involved in an arson Monday night at a Benton storage facility.

A surveillance camera captured images of the man, who was wearing a Dale Earnhardt jacket and a ski mask, at R&D Self Storage on Neck Road, according to an email from Steve McCausland, spokesman for the state Department of Public Safety.

A surveillance camera at R&D Self Storage captured an image of a man wearing a Dale Earnhardt jacket and ski mask who is suspected of arson at the business. Contributed image

“Investigators say a flammable liquid was used to start the fire and the man may have suffered minor burns as a result,” McCausland said.

The fire was reported at about 10 p.m. Monday and the Fairfield Fire Department responded, according to McCausland.

“There was little damage to R&D Self Storage on the Neck Road because a passerby who saw the flames in the back of the building stopped and partially put the fire out before firefighters arrived,” he said. “There was no damage to any of the storage locker contents.”

Anyone with information about the fire or the suspect should call State Police at 624-7076, according to McCausland.

Amy Calder — 861-9247

[email protected]

Twitter: @AmyCalder17

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