12-year-old girl arrested after setting fire to supermarket in France

A 12-year-old girl has been identified as the suspect in a fire that destroyed a supermarket in southwest France earlier this month, according to prosecutors. She said she was fascinated by fire.

The fire happened on the evening of March 8 in Hourtin, a seaside town northwest of Bordeaux. France Bleu, citing the Bordeaux prosecutor’s office, reported Monday that investigators identified the 12-year-old suspect after a two-week investigation into the blaze at a Carrefour Market store.

The fire completely destroyed the store and left 31 workers temporarily unemployed, according to France Bleu. The outlet said the supermarket was a major retail site in the town.

Prosecutors said the girl, who lives in the community, was identified using municipal and store surveillance footage. She was taken into custody last week and immediately admitted setting fire to clothing she had found in shopping carts at the store.

The prosecutor’s office said the girl also described having an attraction to fire.

Under French law, children under 13 cannot be sentenced to prison, but they can face court-ordered educational measures if authorities determine they were capable of understanding their actions.

France Bleu reported that a psychiatric evaluation ordered during the investigation found the girl was criminally responsible at the time of the fire.