Man charged with arson in connection with Lorton deli explosion

UPDATE: Friday – 2/15/2013, 5:20pm ET – WASHINGTON – Police have charged a man in connection with the explosion at a Lorton deli after he left a burn unit for treatment.

Horace Thompson, 25, of no fixed address, was arrested by D.C. police on a fugitive warrant after Thompson was released from the Washington Burn Center Thursday, Fairfax County police say.

Thompson faces charges of arson of an occupied building and aggravated malicious wounding.

He will have an extradition hearing before he would be returned to Fairfax County, police say.

UPDATE: Thursday – 2/7/2013, 10:08am ET – WASHINGTON – The firebombing that resulted in an explosion at a Lorton, Va., deli Wednesday caused $100,000 in damage, according to the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department.

No arrests have been made in connection with the fire and explosion at the Sub Shop deli at 9504 Richmond Highway.

An employee at the shop sustained burns in the 10:25 a.m. fire. He suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to Washington Hospital Center. NBC Washington says the man injured was the deli’s owner.

Police used helicopters and police dogs to search for a man seen running from the scene at the time of the explosion, says Fairfax County police spokesman Don Gotthardt.

While firefighters quickly controlled the blaze, the explosion broke the store’s window.

Only the restaurant incurred fire damage. Other buildings in the shopping center experienced smoke damage.

Investigators are asking for the public’s help in finding who is responsible.

Information can be called in to Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477 or e-mailed anonymously to Crime Solvers. You can text “TIP187” plus your message to CRIMES/274637. Or, you can call 703-691-2131 and ask for the duty investigator at the fire marshal’s office.

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