Posted on Wed, Dec. 18, 2002 story:PUB_DESC

By Celeste Ward STAFF WRITER

ANTIOCH - Firefighters are investigating to find out who rigged an aerosol can to a heat source in a Wal-Mart bathroom on Friday, causing an explosion that could have seriously injured someone with shrapnel, police said.

The explosion occurred at 11:24 a.m. at the store at 4893 Lone Tree Way. No one was injured. Witnesses reported hearing an extremely loud explosion from the men's bathroom, said Antioch police Sgt. Scott Willerford.

Police and firefighters arrived and found that someone had put a can of camping chafing fuel -- which is similar to a fondue heat source -- beneath what looked like a spray-paint can and then fled the restroom, Willerford said.

The aerosol can exploded minutes later. It ignited flames on the bathroom wall and blew out one of the stall doors, Willerford said. The sprinklers also went off to douse the flames, he said.

It was impossible to tell exactly what the aerosol can contained because its contents were charred, police said.

No one was in the bathroom when the can blew up, Willerford said.

The damage was in excess of $5,000, including the blasted door and the flooding from the sprinklers, Willerford said.

Arson investigators will look at the videotapes of the people entering and exiting the store that day for suspects.

"Right now, there are no leads at this point in time," Willerford said.

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2002