Photo by Jon Anderson.
Derrick Maddox, a 17-year resident of Hoover, Alabama, owns the Hwy 55 Burgers Shakes and Fries franchises in Hoover and Tuscaloosa.
A Hoover man who owns the Hwy 55 Burgers, Shakes & Fries restaurants in Hoover and Tuscaloosa was charged with arson this morning in connection with an explosive fire at his Tuscaloosa location Tuesday night.
Tuscaloosa Fire Marshal Gene Holcomb said evidence indicates Derrick Maddox intentionally set fire to the inside of his restaurant at 3615 East McFarland Boulevard about 9 p.m Tuesday night.
A witness reported seeing someone run from the building with possible burns and leave in a vehicle, and Tuscaloosa police stopped Maddox in a vehicle matching that description not far away, Holcomb said. He had second-degree burns and was treated at DCH Hospital and arrested upon release from the hospital this morning, Holcomb said.
Fire investigators discovered gasoline containers, one of which still had gasoline in it, he said. Gasoline had been spilled inside the business, and the fire ignition apparently was caused from a pilot light on one of the appliances, he said.
“Whether he ignited it, or it ignited prematurely, the intent was to have a fire there,” Holcomb said. “It was a very explosive fire.”
When firefighters arrived, there was heavy fire and smoke coming from the Hwy 55 Burgers, Shakes & Fries restaurant, which is in the middle of a one-story strip mall with six businesses, Holcomb said.
Most of the fire damage was in the front part of the restaurant in the dining area, and the fire was contained to Maddox’ restaurant, he said. Other businesses had smoke damage and some damage to ceiling tiles and light fixtures due to the impact of the explosion, he said.
The Tuscaloosa Fire Marshal’s Office and Tuscaloosa Police Department are continuing to examine the evidence they found, Holcomb said. Maddox was released from the Tuscaloosa County Jail on a $15,000 bond.
Efforts to reach Maddox for comment were unsuccessful, but his wife said through a text message that he had no comment about the fire marshal’s statements.
He hopes to have the damage assessed and get to work on repairs in Tuscaloosa as soon as possible to get that location back up and running, she said.
Maddox opened the Tuscaloosa restaurant about two years ago. The Hoover location at 3230 Galleria Circle, which opened in March of this year, remains open for business as usual, his wife said.
