Edmonton police are hoping a security video showing a person dousing a hair salon with what appears to be gasoline and torching the business while burning himself in the process will lead to an arrest.
The early morning fire on Sept. 26 at a shopping centre on 136th Avenue and 93rd Street caused $2 million in damages to the Shadified Salon Spa and a neighbouring liquor store.
Police released the video to the media Tuesday with the hope of generating tips from the public.
The video shows a person in a hoodie entering the business, sloshing the premises with a gas can before bending down and being enveloped by an explosion of flames.
The event took less than a minute.
“The video we are showing leaves us little doubt that the one individual shown would have had to receive significant burns as a result of this incident,” says Staff Sgt. Howard Kunce.
"It appears to me in reviewing the video .. that the person bent down to light up the fire so I'm guessing — I'm believing — that that person would've received burns to the face area perhaps, the chest area, hands (and) arms."
Police hope somebody recognizing the suspect's clothing or is aware of someone suffering from burns will contact them.
Police don't know what motivated the arson, but they don't believe the arson is connected to any other in the city.
Kunce said he's left with impression the arsonist was not experienced.
"It would make sense to me, as a layman, that you would pour your accelerant at the farthest point away and move backwards," he said.
Capturing the arson on video is unique, said Kunce. "I've never seen it this good before. It's just unfortunate we can't make out who the suspect is."
The fire destroyed the business.
“This fire has been devastating to the businesses that occupied this complex and the people that work there," said Kunce.