North Corbin apartment fire ruled ‘intentional’

See the state Fire Marshal’s report by clicking here.

After a month-long investigation, the Kentucky State Fire Marshall has determined that a January fire set in the breezeway of a north Corbin apartment complex was “most likely” done so intentionally.

As a result of an open records request, the News Journal obtained the Fire Marshall’s official Emergency Response Investigative Report in regards to the case.

Despite the fact the investigations has progressed, complex manager Valerie Payne said things were still up in the air as far as finding a suspect.

“There is really nothing we can do,” Payne said. “It’s all up to the police and I haven’t heard anything from them regarding the incident.

“To my knowledge, there hasn’t been anyone out there since the initial investigation got underway,” she added.
On page five of the document, a page listed as the narrative report, K.S.F.M. Investigator Alan Walters says in a paragraph titled Fire Investigation that the first materials that burned were a plastic flower and a pot and a rug. It states that another flower pot was found on the other side of the door which was reported to be the same as the one that burned. Walters goes on to say that there were no electrical wires or receptacles found near the point of origin.
The report says that some tenants reported that cigarettes had sometimes been disposed of in the potting soil in the pot. However, in the report, Walters says that he tested the potting soil in the other pot and found that the mixture would not ignite when exposed to an open flame.

As for a reason to why someone would start a fire intentionally, Payne said she was not aware of any prior confrontations between the tenants in the apartments.

“This is pretty much a peaceful place,” Payne said. “I am not aware of any type of confrontations that may have taken place.

“There just aren’t any instances that I can think of,” she added.

However, in the background section of Walters’ report, he says that tenants had reported that there had been several confrontations during the weekend due to tenants and visitors in apartment eight who had been having loud parties late into the night. It stated that there had also been a confrontation in the parking lot on the night prior to the fire.
Kentucky State Fire Marshall William Swope Jr. said previously that his office was working with the Kentucky State Police in trying to determine the cause of the blaze. Swope explained the role of his organization and elaborated as to why his organization would involve KSP.

“Our role is to investigate the cause and origin of the fire,” Swope said. “If, and when, we are able to determine that a fire appears to be suspicious, we will then work with the State Police.

“They will then investigate to determine whether a fire has been intentionally set,” Swope added.

Firefighters with West Knox Volunteer Fire Department responded to the fire around 4 a.m. on Jan. 4, 2009 when they received a call from 911 dispatch of a fire in the breezeway in one of the buildings.

The investigation by KSP is ongoing.