HARAHAN, La. — The Walmart on Jefferson Highway in Harahan is closed while damage from a fire is being repaired.
Monday night's fire was caught on cell phone video. It is being called suspicious and is now under investigation.
The fire started at 9:44 p.m. One customer was told the super store would open Wednesday, another was told it would be two-to-three more days, and we were told it will be “quite a while” before it reopens because the damage was significant. the corporate office isn't giving a timeline.
All day long there was a steady stream of customers coming to shop at the Walmart Supercenter on Jefferson highway near the Huey P. Long bridge. There were even employees who came. All were unaware the store was closed for repairs.
“I saw nobody in the parking lot for one, so drove up to the front door and I had to wait for somebody to come and tell me it was closed,” one customer said.
But people who were following Facebook posts of the fire by customers who were there knew to stay away. One eyewitness did not want to go on camera. He said shoppers were shooting cell phone footage, others he witnessed putting merchandise under their clothes. No one was putting the fire out, so he grabbed a fire extinguisher, but after it was empty the flames erupted again.
The Jefferson Parish fire department confirms there was an extinguisher next to where the fire started.
“When fire fighters arrived on the scene, it was heavy smoke conditions in the interior, so it was difficult finding the source of the fire. However, the overhead sprinkler system had activated which caused steam and also obscured our vision,” said Mike Travis, Assistant Chief of the East Consolidated Fire Department in Jefferson Parish.
He says the fire damage is minimal. It was only in an area seven feet by seven feet, but all the sprinklers went off, so the water damage across the entire store is major.
“You have to remember that all the food products can no longer be sold. it’s a health department regulation in the state of Louisiana, so they've lost all that,” the Assistant Chief explained.
And while the cleanup crews began that task on Tuesday, ATF, Jefferson Parish Fire Department and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office are investigating.
“They actually do investigate a majority of fires period, but this one is suspicious in nature,” Travis said.
Stores like this one have video surveillance cameras throughout the store, so it is likely investigators are using that for evidence.
Statement from Walmart Corporate:
As an essential store to our community, our goal is to assess any damage and reopen our Harahan store as quickly as possible. In the meantime, we are working with our Metairie location at 8912 Veterans Memorial Boulevard to temporarily manage our customers’ shopping needs.
Pharmacy curbside pickup at our Harahan store is open for customers’ prescriptions. The store’s pharmacy can be reached at 504.733.4923.