McMinnville Fire Department and McMinnville Police Department responded to a fire at the site of the Dollar General store located at 1001 Sparta Street at approximately 11:30 a.m. on Friday morning.

The blaze was allegedly set by a Matthew Howell subject, 19, who admitted to MPD Detective Chris Summers he was responsible for the crime.

"I responded to the Dollar General after receiving an arson call and met with Ben Cantrell," Summers said. "Howell matched the description of the male observed running from the store and he ran into the Tennessee Mental Health Consumers building."

According to the confession given by Howell, he had spoken to his mother on the phone and grown angry because she wouldn't pick him up right away and he ran from the building and to the Dollar General where he grabbed a torch lighter and began burning a bra.

Once Howell set the fire, he allegedly fled the building and wound up back in the parking lot of Tennessee Mental Health Consumers where Summers made contact with him and, after some initial reluctance, he reportedly admitted to setting the fire.

There were no injuries as a result of the fire, but there were three employees inside the building at the time of the blaze and Howell was taken into custody and charged with three counts of aggravated arson. Howell's bond is $30,000 and he is expected to appear in court on April 15.

According to Summers, the Dollar General appears to be a total loss due to the severe damages caused by the fire.