UPDATE: Walmart closed indefinitely after Monday night fire

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UPDATE #2: Walmart in Fort St. John will re-open on Friday, November 10, 2023, at 7 a.m.

UPDATE: Walmart remains closed at this time and the suspected cause is criminal arson, according to Walmart Canada.

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The local Walmart is closed indefinitely after a fire occurred in the store Monday night.

Deputy Fire Chief Matt Troiano said the Fort St. John Fire Department responded to a content fire in Walmart around 7:30 p.m. on Monday.

An employee located a fire in the toilet paper aisle of the shopping centre and promptly put it out with an extinguisher.

According to Troiano, when crews arrived on the scene, the building was already evacuated, and there was light smoke throughout the store.

Troiano says the fire department assisted with getting the smoke out of the structure.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the RCMP.

According to the local Walmart, it is unclear when the store will reopen.