Fire/Rescue News - Investigators finish work at scene of fire on Atlantic City Boardwalk
By LYNDA COHEN Staff Writer | Posted: Tuesday, November 24, 2009 | 0 comments
Click here to see a gallery of the fire
Click here to see a gallery of its aftermath
ATLANTIC CITY - Investigators have completed their work at the scene of a fire that caused millions of dollars in damages to a historic Boardwalk pier.
Fire gutted much of Schiff's Central Pier on Saturday night. The cause has not been determined, but city, state and federal investigators searched Sunday and Monday for clues into what sparked the blaze....Continue Reading
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The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is taking the lead on the investigation because it has the resources, city Fire Chief Dennis Brooks said Tuesday.
He would not confirm that the search was for explosives or some sort of accelerant, however.
"We take areas of damage, and we test them," Brooks explained. "We make sure the chemicals that are supposed to be there are there, so they can eliminate things."
He would not comment on whether the fire is suspicious, reserving comment until the investigation is complete. When that will be is not clear, as any movement depends on the state lab processing the evidence.
About four businesses were destroyed in the fire. It appears to have started in the back of the Hot Spot, which sold T-shirts and other souvenirs.
"It looks like there were offices back there," Brooks said.
The store owner, Saif Chaudhry, said Sunday that he had been renting that location for $8,500 per month for about two years. Brothers Abraham and Robert Schiff own the pier, along with about 70 percent of the Boardwalk's noncasino real estate.
Chaudhry said Sunday he first saw the fire going through an adjacent unit before igniting clothes in his store. Fire officials first said the fire began in the pizzeria next door, but that suffered less damage. Neither Chaudhry nor the Schiffs could be reached for comment Tuesday.
Contact Lynda Cohen: 609-272-7257
