Woodshop warehouse fire investigation fails to determine cause

A fire truck silhouetted against the raging warehouse fire of April 29 in Front Royal. Photo/Haley Morris

A multi-agency investigation into the April 29 fire that gutted an 1800s era warehouse in Front Royal and the woodworking business it housed has failed to determine a cause.  However, investigators did determine a location where they believe the fire started.

According to a press release from the Warren County Fire Marshal’s Office, that suspected starting point for the fire “was determined as the area of a spray booth on the first floor of the business.”

That conclusion may offer a clue, if not a precise explanation as to why the fire started.  When this reporter was at the site of the fire the day after, Sunday, April 30, a former employee examining the scene said he believed chemicals stored on site and used in furniture finishing had leaked or somehow co-mingled into a volatile combination in the highly combustible environment.

An employee inspects outbuilding adjacent to historic warehouse building the day after the fire. Photos/Roger Bianchini

The county fire marshal’s press release on the investigation states that, “Twelve Investigators from the Warren County Fire Marshal’s Office, Fredrick County Fire Marshal’s Office, Fauquier County Fire Marshal’s Office, Front Royal Police Department, Warren County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms spent more than 40 hours over the course of 3 days processing the incident scene.

“The incident investigation involved over 11,000 square feet of floor space, 7 damaged vehicles and involved interviewing 16 people. ‘This was a very complex fire investigation that required extensive manpower,’ Warren County Fire Marshal Gerry Maiatico said, adding, ‘The assistance provided from these partnering agencies has proven extremely valuable for the success of the initial phase of the investigation.’ ”

The fire, which was reported just after 10 p.m., quickly went to three alarms, the release states.  “Firefighters from all Warren County Stations were joined by crews from Strasburg, Marshal and Stephens City Fire Departments and spent 14 hours working to fully extinguish the blaze.

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“This tragic incident should serve as a reminder to all local businesses of the importance of practicing fire safety and adhering to fire safety codes and regulations as part of the daily operations,” the release observes.

“We typically associate fire safety as a practice that occurs in the home,” Fire Chief Richard Mabie said, adding, “This is a reminder that fire can strike anywhere and at any time.”

That reminder is particularly stark in this North Royal Avenue extended neighborhood.  It is a neighborhood that has seen two other buildings destroyed by fire in the past three years.  One was a rental house, the other the Colonel Samuel R. Millar VFW Post 1860 headquarters destroyed in July 2015 in a case of suspected arson.  A former VFW Post employee, Lesley Rose Deavers, is facing multiple charges, including arson, related to that case.

Anyone with information in relation to the fire is asked to contact the Fire Marshals Office at (540) 636-3830. To learn more information of the Department of Fire and Rescue Services business fire safety programs and the enforcement of fire codes, visitwww.warrencountyfire.com