'Shocking, dangerous, and shameful': Police investigating arson at Vegreville Walmart

The Vegreville Walmart as seen on Google Street View in 2018.

Police say several employees at the Vegreville Walmart suffered minor injuries after a fire was deliberately set in the barbecue section.

The store was evacuated around 6 p.m. on Sunday after the fire broke out.

The Vegreville fire department was able to extinguish the blaze, which caused minor damage to the seasonal area of the store.

“This appears to be a criminal act of arson that will unfortunately and unfairly impact our customers, associates, and the local community who rely on the store,” Walmart said in a written statement. “Setting a fire in a public setting with hundreds of people inside is shocking, dangerous, and shameful.”

Walmart says the store is closed for cleanup. It’s not clear when it will reopen to the public. The company says it is paying employees for all scheduled shifts while the store is closed.

Anyone with information about the person or persons who started the fire is asked to call Vegreville RCMP at 780-632-2155 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.