Arson confirmed in fire at Family Dollar in Lehigh Acres

A fire that tore through the Family Dollar in Lehigh Acres early Friday morning has been labeled as arson.

The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District responded to a fire at the Family Dollar on 3519 Lee Blvd. around 1 a.m. The fire districts for South Trail, Fort Myers and Tice also responded, as did the Florida Highway Patrol and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

The fire spread through the entire interior of the store, and the flames and smoke were so intense that firefighters did not enter the building, opting to work from above and try to contain the fire outside the building rather than save it. Part of the roof eventually collapsed, and the fire was not extinguished until around 4:50 a.m.

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