A man accused of setting fire to the paper towel aisle at the Rouses on Royal Street in the French Quarter is now under arrest according to the State Fire Marshal.
The fire was contained to a shelf of paper towels. Another customer quickly extinguished the fire with a jug of water.
Thomas Patterson, 31, was arrested by the NOPD and booked into the Orleans Parish Prison last Thursday. He is accused of deliberately setting the fire.
He is charged with one count of Aggravated Arson and several other charges from the New Orleans Police Department.
The fire happened at the Rouses grocery store on Royal Street at around 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 6.
A spokesperson for the State Fire Marshal says video evidence showed the fire was deliberately set despite the store being filled with customers and staff.
During the investigation, it was determined that the New Orleans Police Department was also trying to identify the same individual for additional crimes in the area.
The SFM and NOPD were able to confirm Patterson as the suspect in several cases.
