$4 million in goods damaged or destroyed by arson at Macy’s in Modesto’s Vintage Faire Mall
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story contained outdated information on the reopening of the Macy’s Women’s store.
A Macy’s store in Vintage Faire Mall temporarily closed for cleanup after smoke from an intentionally set fire Monday damaged or destroyed about $4 million in products, the Modesto Fire Department reports.
About 6 a.m. Monday, fire crews were dispatched to the mall after reports of smoke inside Macy’s Women’s store.
Firefighters encountered thick smoke coming from a back room and spreading to the first and second floors. They determined the fire started in the store’s exterior trash compactor. The flames were extinguished before the fire could spread, but the smoke damage was done.
Fire investigators and the Modesto Police Department reviewed surveillance footage and found a suspect, 38-year-old Christopher Smith, near the source of the fire. Police officers located and arrested him on suspicion of arson.
Modesto Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials Team confirmed air quality within Macy’s and the broader Vintage Faire Mall was safe to breathe. In addition, the Stanislaus County Environmental Health Department inspected the food-serving areas and deemed all food vendors in the mall safe to serve food.
Macy’s Women’s East was able to reopen the same day, a mall spokesperson said.
This story was originally published February 5, 2025 at 1:50 PM.
