A woman was arrested after she set a fire in the bathroom of the business where she worked while customers were inside the business.

Suspect(s): Tailiyah N. Patterson, 22, of South 11th Street, arrested on a charge of first-degree arson

Tailiyah N. Patterson called her manager about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and told her she smelled smoke inside Dollar General, 613 S. 3rd St. The manager told Patterson to check the bathroom, and Patterson reportedly discovered a fire in the trash can.

Paducah Fire Department firefighters extinguished the fire, and Det. Ryan Hudson was called to investigate. He said the fire appeared to have been deliberately set, and reported damage to the trash can and ceiling tiles in the bathroom.

Hudson’s investigation determined Patterson had set the fire in the trash can using paper towels and had held the trash can up to the ceiling in order to ignite the ceiling tiles. He said there was multiple customers in the store at the time.

Patterson was interviewed today and admitted starting the fire. She was arrested on a charge of first-degree arson and booked into McCracken County Regional Jail.