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A North Carolina man was arrested and charged Wednesday in connection with a downtown fire at a 7-Eleven store.

Suffolk Fire and Rescue responded to the 2100 block of North Main Street for a reported commercial structure fire. Emergency communications dispatched crews at 8:19 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, according to a news release.

Fire units arrived at 8:24 a.m. to find moderate smoke in the business.  After an investigation to determine the origin of the smoke, the release said an adult male was found locked in the bathroom of the business where a small fire had been set. The man was removed from the structure and crews ensured the fire was extinguished, then removed the smoke from the business.  

The man, Christopher Sharon, 44, of Gate County, North Carolina, was evaluated by paramedics and was then placed in custody by the Suffolk Fire Marshal’s Office and Suffolk Police.  

Sharon is charged with destruction of property and is being held at Western Tidewater Regional Jail.   

The incident remains under investigation by the Suffolk Fire Marshal’s Office. 

A total of 16 units along with Suffolk Police responded and worked the scene of the fire.