Robbers set fire to West Side convenience store

CHICAGO (WLS) -- An armed robbery turning into an arson investigation early Saturday on the city's West Side after two men lit a convenience store on fire after robbing the clerk.

One worker suffered second-degree burns to his leg. Police are still searching for the offenders, who brought the gasoline and matches.

"People make a robbery just get the money and run away," said worker Abedlhdi Mansur. "To me this isn't a robbery. It's to kill."

Two armed men with their faces covered robbed the Chicago Mini-Mart, located in the 3900-block of West Chicago in the late morning.

"I see guy back there, he has two gallons. He put some on the floor everywhere," said owner Khaled Hussein. "He had some matches and light and like this on the floor. There's a big fire in the store."

Mansur said the smoke made it difficult to breathe.

One of the offenders also got burned, witnesses said.

"He started taking off his clothes running down the street," said Jessica Esquivel, who lives upstairs with her family, including her two-week-old niece. "I just feel like that is something unbelievable. It's crazy. How can people do this?"

The owner said this is the second robbery in two weeks, adding that this time it's going to be much harder to bounce back. The store does not have insurance.

"It's hard for us to deal with the things. We just need help," Mansur said.

The store does not have surveillance cameras.