Woman charged with arson after grocery store fire

A woman has been accused of arson in connection to a Wednesday fire at an Elk Grove Village grocery store.

Pamela A. Dinter, 58, of Elk Grove Village, was charged on Thursday with one count of aggravated arson, police said. Dinter has a bond hearing Friday in Rolling Meadows.

The fire was at Food 4 Less grocery store, 901 Meacham Road. On Wednesday, fire officials said the damages and product loss at the store could be as high as $1.2 million.

There was also extensive damage to the interior of the store and its equipment, officials said.

The fire was set to paper products in one of the aisles in the store, according to the fire department. A minor injury to someone in the store was also reported.

The fire department officials said the fire spread through the paper products, but the sprinkler system kept it from going further than one aisle.

The large loss is attributed to food that was damaged by the extensive smoke in the building. The health department has closed the store until it is cleaned out and products can be replaced.