Jan. 18—CHARLESTON — Officials from the West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office said a Terra Alta woman admitted she intentionally started a fire at a convenience where she was working on Jan. 9.

Investigators from Charleston said Rachel Lin Giffen, was arrested in connection with arsons at two separate businesses in the past year.

Giffen is charged with starting a fire Jan. 9 at the End Zone/ParMar store on Veteran’s Highway in Terra Alta. Firefighters went to the scene and found a large wooden bin filled with cardboard in flames inside the garage area of the business.

Firefighters contained the blaze with minimal damage to the business.

During an interview with state investigators, Giffen admitted she intentionally set the convenience store on fire. She told investigators she had been on the job for approximately three months at the time of the fire.

“During these interviews with Giffen, investigators also learned of a separate fire that occurred in July of 2023 at a pizza parlor in Maryland where Giffen was employed,” states the press release from the Fire Marshal’s Office. “The Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office then obtained a warrant for her arrest for that fire.”

Giffen was arrested on the West Virginia charges on Jan. 17 and charged with second degree arson, setting fire to a structure other than a dwelling and posted a $35,000 cash or surety bond in that case.

Giffen is expected to turn herself in to Maryland’s Fire Marshal for the July 2023 case.