Investigators still working scene of fatal fire

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Investigators at the Salisbury Millwork fire site continued Sunday in getting the scene ready for the close inspection to come over the next few days.
Earl Woodham, a public information officer for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said Sunday there was “not an update to give.”
Some 50 ATF, SBI, fire and police investigators are working the fire scene and conducting interviews and research, with ATF serving as a lead agency.
A National Response Team Explosives and Fire Investigation Unit is on the Salisbury Millwork site, located between South Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Railroad Street.
The National Response Team will reconstruct the scene, identify any blast area or origin of fire and sift through the debris for clues to the cause of the fire that claimed the lives of Salisbury firefighters Justin Monroe and Victor Isler.
The fire was called in about 7 a.m. Friday and destroyed the office and production facilities of the 61-year-old company. Damages have been estimated by the ATF at more than $2 million.
Funeral arrangements for the fallen firefighters have yet to be announced. Lyerly Funeral Home will be handling the details.
Red ribbons in honor of the firefighters are available at Fire Stations No. 1, 514 E. Innes St; No. 2, 2312 S. Main St.; No. 3, 1604 W. Innes St.; and No. 4, 2325 Statesville Blvd.
Other places where ribbons are available will be listed on the city’s Web site at www.salisburync.gov/howtohelp.html.