MINNEAPOLIS — Members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) National Response Team arrived in Minneapolis over the weekend to work with local and state partners as they investigate an apartment complex fire in south Minneapolis, according to a press release.
“Due to the extensive fire damage, including a partial collapse, and the size and scope of the investigation, it was collectively decided that ATF’s National Response Team was needed,” Special Agent in Charge William McCrary of the St. Paul Field Division said in a statement. “ATF’s National Response Team is a tremendous asset, and its members bring a wealth of knowledge as well as resources - all to assist local police and fire departments in large-scale fire investigations to help determine the origin and cause of the fire."
On Wednesday, ATF announced it would offer a $5,000 reward for information related to the Uptown fire.
“Our intent for the reward is to expedite the investigation by helping to narrow down possible causes, all of which is a part of our investigative process,” said Special Agent in Charge William McCrary in a statement. “We encourage people who have valuable information to come forward and help bring this investigation to a successful conclusion.”
Crews responded to a fire on the 2300 block of Lyndale Avenue S. early Saturday, Dec. 3. According to officials, the four-story apartment complex was recently condemned and considered vacant, but several people were inside when the fire started.
No other buildings were damaged, but the ATF said the blaze caused about $1.8 million in damages.
City records show that more than 120 violations were issued to the property, dating back to June 2000.
“Investigating fires in the winter can pose unique challenges, and the National Response Team resources can help with some of those additional winter-imposed hurdles,” McCrary added. “The team’s mission here is to collaboratively assist the Minneapolis Fire Department, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety State Fire Marshal Division, in the determination of the cause of the fire.”
The team consists of multiple special agents and experts including forensic chemists, fire protection engineers, and others. These experts are tasked with "identifying the origin of the fire, conducting interviews, and sifting through debris to obtain evidence related to the fire."
The ATF National Response Team call-out this past weekend is the first for Minnesota this year, with the last one being in 2020.
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