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MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A woman is accused of intentionally starting a fire that did thousands of dollars worth of damage to a Midtown Burger King.

Firefighters were called to the 1300 block of Poplar Avenue at around 4:00 a.m. Wednesday morning to put out the fire near the front of the building.

Police said an officer on routine patrol noticed that bushes on the east side of the fast food restaurant were on fire.

A witness told the officer he saw a woman kicking the bushes, but he could not tell what she was kicking. The witness said the woman, later identified as Tricia Shaw, ran eastbound Poplar after she saw the bush was on fire.

Police said Shaw, 46, was still on the scene when they arrived and was taken into custody.

They said surveillance video showed Shaw standing near the bushes and starting the fire with what appeared to be a lighter.

Damage to the Burger King is estimated to be around $20,000. The restaurant was open Wednesday afternoon but just for drive-through business. Customers trying to walk inside were wondering what happened to the building.

“Why would someone want to set the only Burger King in this neighborhood on fire?” said one woman.

Tricia Shaw

Shaw was charged with arson and is scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday.

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