Arsonist targets local vape shop

A scary situation for employees at a Dededo vape shop as the heavy rain and winds hit the island midweek.

Surveillance video capturing the moment employees were startled as fire came rushing down into the building.

Fire investigators initially thought it was an electrical fire, but the store management discovered it appears it was intentional.

Employees at Puff Supply Guam in Dededo are startled Wednesday night.

Flames captured in not one but two areas of the shop.

“Right on top of our restroom here there is a fire that’s starting and it keeps on going. But this wasn’t the only fire. There was also a fire here in this office," recalled general manager Darian Charfauros.

His staff calling him that evening, saying, “They didn’t know what to do but thank God once of our other employees Reymar acted fast and go up there with the fire extinguisher.”

His employees understandably frightened.

He told them to call 911 as another worker quickly put out the flames.

Guam Fire Department firefighters responding and ruling the cause was electrical.

But that didn’t sit right for Darian and his crew.

"But right after GFD left we started smelling gasoline so we started looking around more and went on the roof and we found a gas container and a nylon rope on the top," he said, "'cause the fire in the beginning it was dripping down.”

Guam Police were called after they made the discovery on the roof.

“There was a metal vent going down so they probably poured the gas inside this hole and used  the rope to put the fire down the hole to start it," he said.

Fortunately, no one was hurt. The store is working to get back on its feet to repair the damage and enhance security around the building.

KUAM News asked what he would say to the arsonist, to which he replied, "Think twice before you do stuff and find another hobby or really I have no words to say. It’s just very heartbreaking that people do this to businesses…Maybe it could happen to another person or a house where they don’t act as quickly as our employee did and it could’ve turned into something worse.”

For now a search is underway for an apparent arsonist.

Anyone with information is asked to call Guam Police or report it to Guam Crimestoppers. 

The incident forced Puff Supply Guam to postpone its grand opening events and the Cloudy Paradise Expo for the safety and well-being of their team.

The shop apologized for the inconvenience adding new official dates will be announced soon.