Man charged with arson in Madisonville Dollar General fire

A Clay, Kentucky man is in jail after he allegedly tried to set fire to a Dollar General store in Madisonville last week. 

According to the Madisonville Police Department report, officers responded to the Dollar General on Hanson Road for reports of a fire inside the store. Firefighters with the Madisonville Fire Department were able to extinguish the blaze and no one was injured, but they determined the fire had been intentionally set. 

Investigation revealed that Todd McVay of Clay was the only person in that specific area of the store before and after the fire was started. 

Contact was made with McVay, who reportedly admitted to police that he had started a fire near the toilet paper, using a mini-torch and igniting a shirt on the shelf.  He stated he did not have a reason for starting the fire, but that he is a ‘fire-bug’.

He was arrested and charged with first-degree arson.