The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued charges against a St. Louis man for burning trash and wood behind a South County business.
Joseph Blalock, 31, was charged Saturday with one count of “knowingly burning or exploding.” He is being held on a $50,000 cash-only bond.
According to police, Blalock was captured on video on Oct. 12 stacking up trash and wood pallets behind Floor & Decor, 4441 Lemay Ferry Road. Two days later, on Oct. 14, the defendant is again seen on video, this time throwing an item into the pile which resulted in a fire.
A fence owned by Floor & Decor was burned in the fire.
The defendant was also seen on video at a nearby gas station approximately 10 minutes before the fire started, smoking a cigarette, and admitted that it was him in the video.
Officers from the South County Precinct are leading the investigation.
