EVERETT — Fire investigators may have to wait until next week to sift through the rubble of a title company destroyed by fire Wednesday in downtown Everett.
Crews plan to try to determine what sparked the three-alarm blaze that caused $1 million damage when it tore through the Stewart Title Co. offices, said Glen Martinsen, assistant fire chief for Everett.
Everett police said Thursday there’s no evidence that would indicate the fire was suspicious.
Wednesday night’s fire in the 2700 block of Wetmore Avenue was one of the biggest in the city’s recent history.
An Everett building inspector ruled the gutted office was too dangerous for investigators to scour on foot. On Thursday afternoon, fire officials were lowered by crane into part of the building.
They were able to narrow down where they believe the fire may have started, but still need to get in on the ground to collect more evidence, officials said.
Once the building’s walls can be stabilized or demolition begins, fire investigators plan to enter the site and search for more clues, Martinsen said.
The investigators may have to wait until some of the walls are torn down, he said. Then demolition may be halted as the fire sleuths start digging.
Fire investigators typically need to sift through rubble to determine where the blaze began. Using their hands, they can then look for electrical or mechanical items that might have sparked a fire, Martinsen said.
They’ll also collect samples of ash and other burnt items in sterile empty paint cans. The samples then are sent to a laboratory to determine if the presence of accelerants can be detected.
Fire investigators are coordinating with the building’s owner and insurance company.
Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437 or jholtz@heraldnet.com.
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