ORLANDO, Fla. -- Surveillance video released from inside a Wal-Mart store shows a man intentionally starting a fire in an effort to distract security, allowing a partner to steal a shopping cart filled with items, according to authorities.

Fire officials responded to reports of flames inside the Wal-Mart located on Clarcona-Ocoee Road in Orlando last week.

Video released by police Monday shows a man inside the store sticking a bottle of FTP car-starter fluid on a store shelf and lighting it.

A mother and her child noticed the flames and called for help. An employee was able to grab an extinguisher and put the fire out before it grew.

The state fire marshal said the fire could have caused something to explode because it burned for some time before it was noticed, the report said.

"It might have been burning faster underneath the shelf," Bureau of Fire and Arson Detective Juan Bailey said. "But at some point, it would have broken out and it would have involved two shelves and then three. It would have gotten quickly out of hand and the employees would not have been able to put it out."

The men were not able to make it out of the store without the items, police said.

Anyone with information about the fire is urged to call Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS.