Federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' National Response Team are leading the investigation into the massive Hillsborough warehouse fire. Watch video
HILLSBOROUGH -- Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' National Response Team are leading a joint investigation into the massive blaze that destroyed two warehouses at Veterans Industrial Park on Route 206.
The fire burned for over 24 hours from Thursday afternoon into Friday night. The team, activated Saturday, has self-contained response vehicles that allow for forensic examination at fire scenes, according to a news release.
Damage to the buildings at the Veterans Industrial Center is estimated at several million dollars, the ATF reported.
The fire started at about 3:50 p.m. Thursday and burned through the night before it was contained Friday morning. Hot spots were still being put out Saturday morning. The five-alarm fire drew more than 30 different fire companies from five counties, and involved more than 200 emergency vehicles.
Fire was an inferno from the start
National Response Team personnel and agents from the ATF Newark Field Division on Monday are at the site of the fire and will lead the investigation along with the Hillsborough Township Fire Marshals, the Hillsborough Township Police Department, the New Jersey State Division of Fire Safety, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
They will reconstruct the scene, identify the origin of the fire, and determine the cause, according to the news release. A team generally has two components: A group that processes the scene and an investigative element.
The team's primary mission is to provide ATF explosives and fire investigative resources and expertise on large-scale incidents, or on more complex investigations because of the size, scope, or number of victims.
Sprinklers, hydrants to blame at blaze
The team is comprised of veteran special agents, including certified explosives specialists, certified fire investigators, forensic mapping specialists, accelerant and explosives detection canine teams, explosives enforcement officers, fire protection engineers, electrical engineers and forensic chemists.
Past events the team has been called in to investigate include:
- an explosion in West Texas that killed 14 people in 2013
- the 10 arsons at churches in Texas in 2010
- a commercial fire in Charleston, S.C. that killed nine firefighters in 2007
- national-level incidents such as the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon, the Centennial Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta, the Oklahoma City bombing and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
The ATF is the federal agency with jurisdiction for investigating fires and crimes of arson.
Sallie Graziano may be reached at sgraziano@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SallieGraziano. Find The Hunterdon County Democrat on Facebook.