South Park fire: How do fire investigations in North Carolina work?
The investigation continues into a massive five-alarm fire in South Park that left two people dead.
On Friday, Charlotte Fire Department officials say the remains of two bodies were found at the site of the fire along the 7700 block Liberty Row Drive.
Demonte Tyree Sherrill and Rueben Holmes died in the fire, their supervisor told The Charlotte Observer.
According to fire officials, the accidental fire started in a spray insulation foam trailer on the ground floor.
“We seldom have large fires of this magnitude,” Charlotte Fire Department chief Reginald Johnson said at a press conference Friday. “Something of this magnitude doesn’t always happen in the city of Charlotte.”
More than 90 firefighters, including some from other fire agencies, responded to the scene.
How fire investigations work
“At this point in the investigation, the arson task force, which is comprised of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Charlotte Fire Department, State Bureau of Investigations and ATF will continue this investigation,” CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings said.
Division Chief Adam Ryerson with the Concord Fire Department explained the process for all fire investigations and what’s typically taken into consideration.
“In North Carolina all fires, regardless of the size, have to be investigated by law,” Ryerson told The Observer.
According to state law, officials must investigate the cause, origin and circumstances of every fire occurring in such municipalities or counties in which property has been destroyed or damaged to determine if it was accidental or not.
How long do fire investigations take?
In regards to how long fire investigations take, Ryerson said it depends on the size of the fire and the extent of damages.
“It could be as little as an hour, an hour and a half or it could be years depending on how long it takes for information to come back from labs,” he explained. “It all depends on how technical the investigation is or how much damage there is to that property.”
But considering the impact of the fire in South Park, Ryerson said it could take months -- if not longer-- to conclude their process.
“You take a fire similar to what we had in Charlotte (Thursday), you’re talking about an entire city block because of that, you have to peel every layer back like an onion until you get down to that believed point of origin is,” he said. “That’s why it could take months.”
Ryerson explained that evidence found at the site of the fire and witness statements are also factors taken into consideration during a full investigation.
“We never want to call an incendiary fire and or an arson fire if it’s not, so we’re always going to wait until we have that information,” he said. “Just be patient with those investigators. It sometimes can be hard to find the exact origin.”
