Police suspect Molotov cocktails thrown through local business started fire

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Bowling Green firefighters found two suspected Molotov cocktails inside of Topshelf Shelving after being called to the business Friday for a fire.

A retired Bowling Green firefighter saw broken glass and smoke coming from inside the business on Dishman Lane and reported it, according to Bowling Green Police Department records.

Bob Sanborn told police he was going to his gym early Friday morning when he saw the glass and smoke. He approached the business to see if anyone was inside. No one was there.

Officers arrived on the scene and saw that the outside electrical box was open and the glass meter was removed and on the ground.

Firefighters  extinguished the fire and found two suspected Molotov cocktails on the ground. Police believe a large rock was thrown through the glass door causing damage to the metal door frame. BGFD investigators used K-9 Millie and confirmed the use of an accelerant in the incident, according to police records.

A black burn mark was visible on the concrete floor near one of the broken glass bottles commonly used to make Molotov cocktails.

“A Molotov cocktail is designed so that it can hold a flammable liquid inside of a glass jar, a bottle, something of that nature. And then it has a fuse that may be a piece of cloth that’s attached to that as well that’s lit on fire. Then the idea is once the glass breaks then that spills the flammable liquid and then the fire that is lit on top of that will cause that accelerant to immediately ignite,” said Bowling Green Police Department PIO Ronnie Ward.

The building and contents sustained various amounts of smoke and fire damage, according to the police report.

The business owners came to the scene. They declined to talk to WNKY.

The incident remains under investigation.