Providence Fire Department Arson Squad

Transcription

1 Providence Fire Department Arson Squad Date: 6 Jan 2018 Time: 03:03 hrs Address: 110 Bowdoin Street I # CCR # Classification: Undetermined Investigator: Paul Doughty Type: Structure Vehicle Extension Other SYNOPSIS: On January 6, 2018, the Providence Fire Department Arson Squad responded to 110 Bowdoin Street upon notification from the Bureau of Operational Control to conduct a fire scene investigation. 110 Bowdoin collapsed in the center of the photograph Page 1 of 13

2 OVERVIEW: This report is intended to document investigative efforts and the origin and cause analysis. This report does not, nor was it intended to, contain every investigative detail considered as part of the origin and cause analysis. Rather, this report highlights and summarizes only the information and evidence available to investigators believed to be most significant to the origin and cause analysis. As a result, this report should not be a substitute for deliberate and reasoned oral discussion with the author and other participating investigators. Additional details may be available from participating agencies and organizations involved in the investigation of the incident. The investigation was conducted in compliance with the requirements of NFPA 1033, Professional Qualifications for Fire Investigator, 2014 Edition and NFPA 921, A Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations, 2017 Edition. This investigation was conducted as a result of a fire at 110 Bowdoin Street, Providence, Rhode Island. The fire scene analysis began on Saturday, January 6, 2017 at approximately 0300 hours and continued until Wednesday, January 10, 2018 at approximately 1500 hours. Conditions affecting the fire scene include the firefighting and overhaul as conducted by the Providence Fire Department (PFD). The investigative team included Arson Investigators Paul Doughty, Peter Sword, Thomas Balutowski, John Zuffoletti, Joshua Muniz, and Steven Ferioli. The PFD received several calls on January 6, 2018 at approximately 02:57:43 hours reporting a fire at 110 Bowdoin Street. The fire damaged several buildings including 104 Bowdoin, 106 Bowdoin, 110 Bowdoin, 113 Bowdoin and 114 Bowdoin. This report will focus on the origin and cause of the fire at 110 Bowdoin. The other cause and origin reports for the effected exposures will be under separate cover. The fire went to four alarms resulting in one civilian fatality and three firefighter injuries, including one that required hospitalization. Eleven occupants were home at the time of the fire, eight of whom sought medical treatment. The fire was declared under control on January 6, 2018 at 0945 hours. A fire detail was assigned to the scene from January 6, 2018 at 1400 hours until January 8, 2018 at 0800 hours to monitor the scene for hot spots. Fire companies returned to the scene several times to extinguish the hot spots. A police detail was assigned to secure the scene and remained in place until the scene investigation was completed. Firefighting efforts were directed by PFD Division - 1, Acting Deputy Assistant Chief William Kenyon. Upon arrival, investigators reported to Incident Commander Chief William Kenyon. Page 2 of 13

3 According to weather conditions at the time of the fire were clear, 5 F with winds out of the west at 12.7 mph gusting to 20.7 mph and no reported precipitation. There were no reports of lightning activity in Providence near the time of the fire. SCENE ANALYSIS: The building at 110 Bowdoin Street was a 2½ story wood frame, multi-family dwelling. City building records indicate the property was a two (2) family dwelling and consisted of four (4) total bedrooms. The total gross area was 3,306 square feet and the total living area was 1,877 square feet. Pre-fire photograph of 110 Bowdoin Street taken on January 1, The exterior of the building will be divided into four sides: The front (street address) side of the building is designated as Side 1 and the number designations move clockwise around the structure. Side 2 will be the left side of the building when facing the address side. Side 3 will be the rear of the structure. Side 4 will be the right hand side of the building when facing the address side. Page 3 of 13

4 The interior of the building will be divided into four quadrants: Quadrant A will describe the front left of the interior where side 1 and side 2 intersect. Quadrant B traveling clockwise will describe the left rear of the interior of the property. Quadrant C continues traveling clockwise and will describe the right rear of the interior. Quadrant D will describe the right front of the building. Witnesses described the building as containing three apartments: one on the 1 st floor, one on the 2 nd floor and one on the 3 rd floor. The basement was undivided and was used for a utility space and storage. On each floor, the apartments were divided into three bedrooms which were rented individually and had bedroom doors equipped with a deadbolt lock. Each occupied floor shared a common bathroom and kitchen area. The layout of the 1 st floor and 2 nd floor were identical with three bedrooms along Side 2 of the building. The front apartment was converted from a living room into a bedroom. The front bedroom had a door that opened into the front common stairwell that extended from the first floor to the second floor, and a door that opened into the kitchen in the rear of the apartment. The middle bedroom had a door that opened into the kitchen. The rear bedroom also had a door that opened into the kitchen. The kitchen, in addition to the aforementioned bedroom doors, had a door that opened into the rear common stairwell which extended from the basement to the 3 rd floor. The bathroom was also located off the kitchen. Both the front and rear stairwells discharged to the exterior. Sketch of 2 nd floor drawn by Insp. Monaco Page 4 of 13

5 The 3 rd floor layout consisted of three (3) bedrooms, a kitchen located in the rear and a bathroom. The 3 rd floor was only serviced by the rear stairwell and did not have a front fire escape. At the time of the fire, the building consisted of nine (9) bedrooms and contained eleven (11) tenants. Two other tenants were not home at the time of the fire. The exterior sidewalls were constructed of pine board sheathing and covered with asbestos shingles. The roof was a gable with a doghouse dormer on side 4. The roof was sheathed with pine board and covered with asphalt shingles. The building at 110 Bowdoin Street was owned by Dexter Jackson who resided on the second floor at the time of the fire. The fire scene analysis continued with a 360-degree examination of the exterior of 110 Bowdoin Street. The exterior examination revealed obvious signs of fire damage to 104, 106, 110, 113, and 114 Bowdoin Street, with the most significant damage to 110 Bowdoin Street. Page 5 of 13

6 The building at 110 Bowdoin Street exhibited signs of full fire involvement to the 1 st floor, the 2 nd floor, the 3 rd floor, the roof and most of the basement. All of the roof and sidewall structural elements had collapsed creating a debris field between 106 Bowdoin Street and 114 Bowdoin Street. In addition, parts of the roof and sidewalls of the two exposure buildings (106 and 114 Bowdoin Street) facing 110 Bowdoin Street, had collapsed into the same debris area. The building at 106 Bowdoin Street, consisted of a three-story, three-family, wood-frame dwelling located three feet from 110 Bowdoin Street. 106 Bowdoin Street The building at 114 Bowdoin Street consisted of a three-story, three-family, wood-frame dwelling located fourteen feet from 110 Bowdoin Street. 114 Bowdoin Street Page 6 of 13

7 The horizontal vinyl siding on the two other dwellings, (104 and 113 Bowdoin Street) were damaged by radiant heat from the fire. Investigators obtained audio telephone recordings from E and the PFD Bureau of Operation Control (BOC). Both sources contained numerous calls reporting a building fire in the vicinity of 110 Bowdoin Street. Captain Paul Picozzi of E-14, was the first firefighter to arrive on scene and made the following statement: The BOC dispatch indicated a house fire with a female trapped on the 2nd floor. Members saw a column of smoke as we drove up Atwells Avenue from the firehouse. As we reached the intersection of Bowdoin and Amherst, we saw a large volume of fire extending from the sidewalk and partially across Bowdoin Street. Also, several civilians and pets were in the street. As we passed 110 Bowdoin Street, I transmitted a Code Red, 2nd Alarm for heavy fire in two three-story, wood-frame occupied dwellings. 110 Bowdoin Street had fire showing on all floors and there was a large volume of fire on side 2 between 110 and 106/108 Bowdoin Street. There was fire showing in 106/108 Bowdoin Street on the 2nd floor side 2, 3, 4, and 3rd floor side 3, 4. Members stretched a 1 and 3/4" handline to the second floor of 106/108 Bowdoin Street where we thought there was a female trapped. After a few minutes, conditions deteriorated and we were ordered to evacuate by Battalion Chief Mahoney. The overhead electrical feed to 110 Bowdoin Street was burned away during the fire and separated from the building. Investigators were unable to locate the electrical meters due to fire damage and as a result of the collapse. According to the occupants, there was electrical service to 110 Bowdoin Street at the time of the fire. Additionally, city building inspectors noted electricity to the building at the time of their inspection on January 3, According to National Grid, natural gas service to 110 Bowdoin Street was terminated at the time of the fire. The fire scene analysis continued with an examination of the interior conditions of the building. The interior examination of 110 Bowdoin Street which, with the exception of a small portion of the basement in quadrant D, revealed almost complete fire damage and the collapse of all interior walls, stairways and floors. The quadrant D area of the basement formed a lean-to collapse with the foundation and the basement floor forming the two points of contact to support the basement ceiling. Page 7 of 13

8 On Sunday, January 7, 2018, during a post-fire search for a missing occupant, investigators and firefighters conducted selected debris removal from side 2. During the search, investigators recovered several mobile telephones and two hot plates. The following day, Monday, January 8, 2018, investigators and firefighters worked with R and P Construction and Demolition utilizing an excavator to conduct general debris removal beginning at approximately 0930 hours. At approximately 1030 hours, investigators located the remains of an adult female on side 4. The Providence Police Detectives Bureau and the Rhode Island Office of State Medical Examiner were notified by investigators to respond to the scene. The remains were later identified by the Office of State Medical Examiner as Lucy Feliciano H/F, D.O.B The remainder of the collapsed area of 110 Bowdoin Street was searched using the excavator where firefighters examined the area of the fire scene uncovered by the excavator. Other firefighters examined the contents removed by the excavator after depositing the debris in an area adjacent to 110 Bowdoin Street. The general debris removal concluded on January 8, 2018 at approximately 1430 hours. The following list contains the names of the occupants and their location at the time of the fire based on witness statements: 1 st floor NAME RACE/GENDER D.O.B. CONDITION Alexander Flores H/M 1/13/67 Cindy Flores W/F 1/7/67 Willy Gray B/M 7/28/58 Transported to RWGH Jeannette Knott B/F 9/13/60 Transported to RIH 2 nd floor NAME RACE/GENDER D.O.B. CONDITION Lucy Feliciano H/F 10/17/68 Deceased Dexter Jackson B/M 11/30/68 RIH, unknown transport to RIH 3 rd floor NAME RACE/GENDER D.O.B. CONDITION PHONE NUMBER Silvia Toledo* H/F 3/12/86 Transported to RIH Roland Colpitts W/M 9/4/71 Transported to RIH (401) Barbara Ferrara W/F 11/29/71 Transported to RIH Michael Lillie W/M 5/7/64 Transported to RIH Christina Lopes W/F 4/28/87 Transported to RIH *2 nd floor tenant stayed on the 3 rd floor the night of the fire. Page 8 of 13

9 Tenants not home at the time of the fire include: 3rd floor NAME D.O.B. PHONE NUMBER Naomi Vasquez 4/18/94 (401) Luis Garcia 12/27/80 (401) INTERVIEW SUMMARIES RELATED TO THE ORIGIN AND CAUSE: 1 st Floor Occupants Statement of Alexander Flores: He was home at the time of the fire and was in Cindy Flores s bedroom located in the front of the 1 st floor apartment (Alexander Flores bedroom was located on the 1 st floor in the rear of the apartment). He reports he was awoken by Cindy Flores who smelled smoke. He then investigates and discovers a small fire burning in the mattress in the 1 st floor middle bedroom occupied by Gray and Knotts. He exits the building via the front stairwell. He reports that there was a heater and a hot plate in the middle bedroom. Statement of Cindy Flores: She was home at the time of the fire and was in the front bedroom of the 1 st floor apartment with Alexander Flores. She woke Alex and told him she thought there was a fire. She then discovers a fire in the 1 st floor middle bedroom. She then tells Gray his mattress is on fire. She sees a hot plate on the floor near the mattress and indicates it was on at the time of the fire. Statement of Jeannette Knotts: She was home at the time of the fire and was in the middle bedroom of the 1 st floor apartment with Willy Gray. She was awake at the time of the fire and smelled smoke and next thing she knew everything was on fire. After smelling the smoke, she and Gray went right outside. She reports the fire in several different locations, except in her bedroom. She had a hot plate in her bedroom that she sometimes used for heat. She had used it earlier, but shut it off because it was warm enough in her room. The hot plate was located on the floor along with the mattress. Statement of Willy Gray: He was home at the time of the fire and was in the middle bedroom of the 1 st floor apartment with Jeanette Knotts. He was asleep and Jeanette woke him up and the fire started coming up from the basement. He then tries to put the fire out, which is now in the kitchen, with a coffee pot. He did not see any fire in his bedroom. There is a hot plate and space heater in his bedroom. He uses the hot plate to heat the room. The hot plate was on the floor near the mattress but it wasn t on at the time of the fire. Page 9 of 13

10 2 nd Floor Occupants Statement of Dexter Jackson: He was home at the time of the fire in the front bedroom of the 2 nd floor apartment. He leaves his bedroom through the front stairwell. As he turned to face his building, he sees flames on the left front side in the alley between his building and 106 Bowdoin Street but just his house was on fire. He said he had been working on the heat and electricity recently. There was no boiler in the basement and tenants used electric space heaters for warmth. 3 rd Floor Occupants Statement of Silvia Toledo: She was home at the time of the fire and in Barbara Ferrara s bedroom on the 3 rd floor. Toledo s bedroom was on the 2 nd floor (rear) but she had been staying with Ferrar because there was no electricity or running water. She was awoken by Lillie telling her there was a fire. She couldn t see anything. She is hurt from a fall as she descends the rear stairs. Statement of Roland Colpitts: He was home asleep at the time of the fire and in his bedroom on the 3 rd floor with Ferrara and Toledo. He awoke, then saw smoke after waking his bedroom mates and then went to the nearby bedrooms and woke those occupants. As the 3 rd floor fills with smoke, he opens the window to his bedroom and sees the flames and more smoke gushing in. He then shuts the window and exits down the rear stairwell. Once outside, he sees flames coming out of the window in the middle bedroom on the first floor. Statement of Barbara Ferrar: Ferrara was interviewed with Colpitts and did not make any separate statements related to the cause or origin of the fire. Statement of Michael Lillie: He was home at the time of the fire and in a bedroom he shared with Christina Lopes on the 3 rd floor. He was awoken by people in the next bedroom who said there was smoke and to get out. He got up and gathered some belongings. As he traveled down the rear stairs, he found Toledo and helped her down the stairs. There was heavy smoke in the stairwell. As he passes the 1 st floor, he sees through the open apartment door that the fire is coming out of the front apartment and that the kitchen wasn t on fire yet. Once outside, he sees the fire coming out of the 1 st floor front apartment and that only one building (110 Bowdoin Street) was on fire. He says all the tenants had heaters because there was no heat in the house. Page 10 of 13

11 Statement of Christina Lopes: She was home at the time of the fire and was in the 3 rd floor bedroom with her boyfriend Lillie and was awoken by someone telling everyone there was a fire and to get out. She exits down the rear stairwell. Once outside, she sees only 110 Bowdoin Street is on fire and that the fire is coming out of the 1 st floor bedroom toward the rear. There was no running water or heat and they were all running space heaters. The electricity for the whole house was hooked up to one main breaker and they didn t have a stove so they used a hot plate and a microwave for cooking. Other Statements Lisa Ildelfonso H/F 8/22/79, She states she was home at the time of the fire in bed with her husband in the rear bedroom of their 1 st floor apartment at 106 Bowdoin. Her son was also home in bed in the front bedroom and her daughter was home in bed in the middle bedroom. Her husband woke her after hearing a noise and seeing fire outside their bedroom window. She then saw the fire and went with her husband to wake the kids. As her husband was grabbing their son from his bed, the window glass failed in her son s bedroom, and smoke, heat and fire entered the room, catching the curtains on fire as they exited the bedroom. Once outside they went to their car parked in the driveway and took shelter there. There was no smoke or fire in the house until the window glass failed. Lieutenant Hiller (E-14) responded to 110 Bowdoin Street on January 1, 2018 at 2048 hours for an incident involving electrical wiring/equipment pro (sic). Upon arrival he notified Battalion 2 - Chief Mahoney and Fire Investigator John Zuffoletti. Upon return to the station, Lt. Hillier documented the conditions in the remarks section of his incident report (Incident 00124). Called to home by third floor tenant. House has numerous electrical problems such as extension cords running from 2nd floor to basement to tie into panel. Only one netter for all three units. Electrical panels in disarray and without covers. No running water. No boilers working. Electrical cords used for portable electric heaters. Owner lives on 2nd floor. C 56 has names and phone numbers. Lieutenant Hillier also sent a PFD complaint form to the Fire Prevention Captain regarding the conditions at 110 Bowdoin Street on January 1, 2018 at 2230 hours. Major electrical problems such as extension cords running from 2 nd floor to basement used to tie into electrical panel. One meter for 3 units. Electrical panels in dissaray with no covers. Electrical cords used for portable heaters. No running water. No working boiler. C56 report has names and phone numbers of owner and 3 rd floor complainants. Fire Investigator John Zuffoletti (C-56) was called to 110 Bowdoin Street by Lieutenant Hillier on January 1, Investigator Zuffoletti examined the property and photo documented the conditions. On January 7, 2018, upon request from this office, Investigator Zuffoletti forwarded a written statement of his observations from January 1, 2018 to aid in the origin and cause report. Page 11 of 13

12 On 01 Jan 2018, Car 56 was dispatched by radio to 110 Bowdoin Street at the request of Engine 14 on scene. Upon arrival, 3rd floor tenant Roland Colpitts ( ) answered the back door and led us to the basement where he stated that there is only one electrical panel for all of the apartments. He said that his wife (Barbara Ferrara) is on oxygen and that he must reset tripped circuit breakers 10 times a day. He stated that the main circuit breaker also trips sometimes. He stated that the house has no running water or heat and that they are using space heaters. He stated that his wife has called and complained to the city. She was told by the city that there were over 40 violations listed on the property. Mr. Colpitts stated that the city code enforcement inspectors were scheduled to arrive at the address the next day (2 Jan 2018) to deal with the situation. The property owner is Dexter Jackson ( ). He lives on the second floor. He was advised of the seriousness of the situation and he stated that his electrician was scheduled to work on the problem the next day (2 Jan 2018). He complained that the tenants are drug addicts who don't pay their rent causing him to be unable to pay for the necessary work needed on the property. Inspector William Monaco, Providence Department of Inspections and Standards, went to 110 Bowdoin Street on January 3, 2018 pursuant to a complaint reported on January 2, He issued a report on January 8, In his report he notes: No heat in house, no running water, and owner is operating a boarding house. Issuing intent to condemn, house is a mess. Occupants were running space heaters, numerous propane torches throughout dwelling, debris on every floor including basement, open electrical panel in basement, occupants were complaining of constant electrical issues, frozen pipes, and they were seeking help from the Red Cross. Tenant from 3 rd floor stated they would not help unless there was a fire. The office was closed Thursday 1/4/18, I was out Friday, and I am writing this report Monday 1/8/18. CONCLUSION: Origin Based on the scene examination, witness statements, photographs, fire patterns, fire dynamics, and scientifically accepted and well documented indicators provided to me at this time, it is my opinion, within a reasonable degree of fire science certainty, that the fire originated on the 1 st floor in the middle bedroom occupied at time of the fire by Willy Gray and Jeanette Knott. The fire then extended throughout the 1 st floor and then throughout 110 Bowdoin Street. In this instance, although there was little usable physical evidence in the area of origin, eyewitnesses, including Gray and Knotts, report that there was a hot plate and a space heater in the room of origin used for heating the room. Several witnesses, again including Gray and Knotts, report a mattress and television in the middle bedroom providing an adequate fuel package for the fire to grow and extend beyond the room of origin. Lastly, although the occupant s description of where they first see the fire differs to some degree, most report it as on side 2 on the 1 st floor of 110 Bowdoin Street. As the fire grew in Gray and Knotts bedroom, the bedroom window failed and began venting into the alley between 110 and 106 Bowdoin Street. Due to the close physical distance between the two buildings (3 ), the fire then extended rapidly into the alley due to the convective heat as well as the radiant feedback. Page 12 of 13

13 Inside 110 Bowdoin Street, the heat, fire and smoke would have begun to spread throughout the 1 st floor and then up both the front and rear stairwells. The front stairwell would have created conditions where the heat and smoke began impacting the 2 nd floor and the rear stairwell would have created conditions where the heat and fire began impacting the 2 nd floor and even more so on the 3 rd floor. With numerous doors reported to have been left open, the fire and heat would have had little impediment to quickly spread to all three floors. The open doors and failing windows would have also provided adequate ventilation to allow the fire to grow rapidly. As glass in the 2 nd floor window sashes on side 2 were heated, they would have failed and allowed the heat, fire and smoke to enter from the exterior. As the glass failed, heat, fire and smoke would have entered the building and begun spreading into 106 Bowdoin Street as well. The fire spread from the interior and exterior would have combined to rapidly engulf the entire building at 110 Bowdoin and cause fire extension to the other identified exposures. Cause All natural causes, including lightning, have been eliminated. There are several possible ignition sources investigators considered during this investigation, including the improper use of extension cords, a hot plate, and a space heater; as well as the building s electrical system. In instances like this where the cause cannot be proven to an acceptable level of certainty, the proper classification of this fire is undetermined. Despite not being able to definitively identify a single ignition source, investigators have no reliable evidence to indicate or suggest that this was an incendiary fire or the result of an intentional act. In conclusion, based on all the information available to investigators at this time, it is likely that the cause of the fire was an accidental event. This report reflects the findings of this investigation as conducted to date. This investigator reserves the right to alter or amend the report should new information become available. Paul A. Doughty Arson Investigator Paul A. Doughty Arson Squad Page 13 of 13