DETROIT – Video from inside a gas station convenience store captures the moment an angry customer sets the place on fire which is a frightening moment, especially for a clerk who did manage to escape the fire.
It was all over something a customer bought and then decided they didn’t like how it smelled.
The man was arrested for allegedly setting fire to a gas station because of a complaint.
The store is a total loss. Surprisingly enough, it all started over a Swisher Sweets Cigar.
The dramatic video shows a man that police say is an unsatisfied customer who took his complaints to another irrational level.
Kareem Qasem was the clerk behind the counter addressing the scent of the Swisher Sweets.
“He came talking to me about how he bought a Swisher leaf before he’s like to me, it’s not good, and everything and it has cologne on it, and I told him, ‘maybe bossman you’re the one that’s wearing cologne,’” said Qasem.
When Qasem refused to switch out the item, that’s when the man seen in the video player above came back into the store with a bucket of gasoline, doused the store, and set it on fire.
“He just threw it and lit it on fire,” Qasem said. “The first thing I tried doing was grab the fire thing. And I just tried to kill it off; Nothing, no fire, which is coming back up. I called 911. I pushed the emergency button, and 911 came, and they saved us.”
🟢PROJECT GREEN LIGHT ARSON SUSPECT CAPTURED🟢
— Project Green Light Detroit (@PGLDetroit) August 23, 2022
Where: 1700 S. Fort
When: 8/23 around 5:44 a.m.
The suspect seen setting a Project Green Light partner business on fire this morning has been taken into custody. Great work by our Arson investigators in this case. #OneDetroit pic.twitter.com/Q4tM7qxElA
The restaurant that operates out of the gas station is also out of business, meaning owner Abdul Elghim is out of a job.
“I worked for this business like almost 10 years to have it,” said Elghim. “Everything is gone. It’s just only the building I have there. Everything is gone.”
Elghim is just thankful that no one was hurt.
“I was really scared for my life and also scared for the store,” Qasem said. “In my mind, I am like, ‘am I going die? Is everything going to be okay? What’s wrong? Why would you do such a thing? Why would you do such a thing like that?’”
Police were able to act quickly as they were able to take the man into custody.
