Alva Review-Courier -

A suspect has been identified by law enforcement in the burglary and arson at the Lite-N-Nite convenience store that occurred early Tuesday morning. Alva Fire Chief Bryan Miller said District Attorney Investigator Steve Tanio and the Alva Police Department interviewed a suspect Wednesday in the burglary and arson of the store. An application for an arrest warrant was being filed with the Woods County District Attorney's Office Thursday morning.

Miller said the fire was discovered by Alva Police Officer Daniel Contreras at 4:33 a.m. on Tuesday, May 7, while he was on routine patrol.

"Officer Contreras observed that the west employee door was cracked open and observed heavy fire inside the storage room area. When the fire department arrived on scene there was heavy fire coming from the northwest side of the building," said Miller.

The fire department was able to contain the fire to the convenience store, and the fire was logged under control at 6:13 a.m.

Photo provided

Alerted by a police officer, the Alva Fire Department arrives on the scene of a blaze at Lite-N-Nite convenience store in Alva early Tuesday morning.

"During the initial investigation to what had caused the fire, I determined that there were multiple ignition points, and it also had appeared that the business had been burglarized," said Miller.

With a joint coordination and investigation into the burglary and arson, the Alva Police Department and Alva Fire Department requested assistance from the District Attorney Office investigator, Oklahoma State Fire Marshal Office and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Crime Scene Unit. The scene was processed Tuesday, and the building was released back to the property owners at approximately 5:50 p.m.

"The Lite-N-Nite had heavy fire damage to the building, and moderate fire and smoke damage to the building to the east of Lite-N-Nite that was used for storage," Miller stated. "The rest of individual building units had heavy smoke damage."