CAMILLUS — A juvenile under the age of 12 started a fire that badly damaged and closed the Target store in Fairmount, near Syracuse, police said Friday.
The juvenile at about 6:40 p.m. June 28 started the fire by lighting fireworks grabbed off a shelf at Target, said Camillus Police Capt. James Nightingale, a spokesperson for the police department.
The juvenile used a lighter, which also was taken from Target, he said.
The fireworks caught items in the paper aisle on fire, he said. The store had to be evacuated.
Nightingale said police found remnants of fireworks in the debris, but can’t be sure what type of fireworks were used. They didn’t make a popping noise, they were told, but was something that smoldered like a sparkler, he said.
The juvenile was with family at the store, but was permitted to go to another section of the store alone, he said.
Camillus police watched hours of video to identify the person responsible for the fire, police said.
Detectives met with the juvenile and the child’s parents Wednesday. No charges are being filed after consultation with the Onondaga County District Attorney and County Attorney’s offices, police said.
To be charged in Family Court, the child would have to be at least 12 years old, police said.
Police did not say whether the juvenile was male or female or how old the child is.
The fire was put out quickly, but there was significant smoke and water damage in the store, Nightingale said.
No one was injured, he said, and there isn’t any structural damage to the store.
Joe Unger, a Target spokesperson, previously said that the company is working to open the store as quickly as possible. An official date or timeline for when the store would reopen was not given by Target.
Fire officials said there was extensive water and smoke damage to the store. The sprinkler system has been restored and the cleanup continues, they said.