Neighbor shocked business owner charged with arson

By Elise McCann
WBTW News 13 Reporter
Published: June 9, 2008

South Carolina State Law Enforcement officials have charged a man with setting his own business on fire. Officials say Joseph Taylor is charged with arson in the second degree.

Officials say he owns the lighting warehouse that caught fire Saturday afternoon around 5:00.

The business is located on Northgate Boulevard, not far from the back gate of the old Myrtle Beach Air Force Base.

Several business are located next to and around Taylor’s business.

Pamela Alford has owned her business for 25 years and been at her current Myrtle Beach location for 10 years. But Saturday evening she thought she’d loose it all.

The last thing she expected to hear a couple of days later, is the owner of the lighting store next door would be arrested and charged with arson in the second degree.

“Words just don’t describe it. You can’t wrap your mind around it. I wouldn’t do that on purpose to anybody. Of course there’s a lot of people out there that will. It’s just hard to fathom,” Alford said.

While watching the flames stretching towards her business, the last thing on her mind was this might be intentionally started.

“It never crossed my mind at first that it was done on purposed or it could have been set. I just assumed it’s one of those things,” Alford said.

She’s spent the days since the fire cleaning up the mess it made in her store lot.

“We had to clean up the soot and all from the driveway. We power washed that. We had some smoke damage. The smell. Smoke damage. We’re in the process of cleaning that up,” Alford said.

Hot ashes pouring from the building also damaged the back of Alford’s business.

Alford said they haven’t decided if they’ll sue for damages if Joseph Taylor is convicted.

A judge set a surety bond of thirty five thousand dollars and said Taylor must surrender his passport.

The judge also told Taylor he was not to leave the state, and if he leaves, he must notify his attorney and the solicitor’s office.