Email

Print

Orin Smith, Station Officer - National Fire Service
"The cause of the fire there was incendiary. Incendiary is a fire that was intentionally set under in which the person who has set the fire knows full well the fire should not have been ignited. That fire originated in the east lower flat of the structure."

Jules Vasquez
"Do you all have any idea what was used to ignite the fire?"

Orin Smith, Station Officer - National Fire Service
"That section of the building where the fire originated had walls that were easily accessible. They were block walls, anyone could have easily reached through walls and ignited them and what was on the other side of those walls were materials that were easily combustible."

Jules Vasquez
"Do you have any idea that an accelerant was used to fuel the fire?"

Orin Smith
"No, we have no evidence of that."

Jules Vasquez
"So was the fire simply started by flame to wood?"

Orin Smith
"That is a possibility."

Jules Vasquez
"Certain people may have had motive to do this?"

Orin Smith
"Our investigation uncovered quite a bit. However, I wouldn't speculate on who is responsible. I would prefer to leave that to the police to continue with their investigation."

Jules Vasquez
"Miss Jacqueline Arteaga who perished in the fire, is there any indication where she was when the fire started and was there anywhere she could have escaped the fire alive?"

Orin Smith
"She was found on the north east section of the lower flat right in the entrance area. Just above that area was the room that she was occupying. On the collapse of that floor, that's where she was."

Jules Vasquez
"Now, I know that upper storey buildings have to have two stairs. Were there two stairs available?"

Orin Smith
"There were two exits to the upper flat; one on the south section of the building and one on the west section of the building. In her case her room was on farthest point away from both of these exits."

Jules Vasquez
"And the persons, who escape the fire, how were they able to escape?"

Orin Smith
"They were nearest to the west exit."

Jules Vasquez
"There have been family members of hers who have suggested that perhaps the other people in the house did not act in her best interest and did not really try and save her. From what you all were able to find out b questioning those who were in the fire, did they in fact tried to save her? Were they even able to?"

Orin Smith
"Information was that they did try and save her, but were unable to. Based on information we have received and the extent of the fire on the lower floor there were not able to because of the flames affecting that area."

Jules Vasquez
"So, very unfortunately for her who ever set the fire basically set it right under her room."

Orin Smith
"More or less, yes."

Smith says the building where the fire started was not insured, so they do not suspect insurance fraud. He said they did come upon possible motives during the fire investigation, but that is a matter for what will now be an arson investigation led by the police. In our coverage of the story, we have repeatedly heard jealousy as a possible motive for arson.