Broward Marine Fire - (Fort Lauderdale, Florida - September 5, 1996) » The Investigation

Investigation of the fire began before the fire was declared under control. Police and fire department investigators, working in conjunction with representatives from ATF, collected numerous witness statements from marina occupants and neighbors while firefighters worked to extinguish the fire.

The investigation was organized as a joint effort between the Fort Lauderdale Fire Marshal's office, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, the Florida State Fire Marshal's office, the United States Coast Guard, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Individuals from these agencies were organized into four teams, assigned to interior investigation, exterior investigation, interviewing and evidence control. The evidence team was also responsible for photographing the scene. The interior team con - centrated on the excavation and documentation of Buildings A, B and C. The exterior team documented the numerous peripheral and spot fires that occurred throughout the facility. A K-9 team from the Indian River County Department of Emergency Services was utilized to check for accelerants.

A fire watch was posted for the first 24 hours after the incident, as fire operations continued into the afternoon. The teams reassembled at 8:00 a.m. on September 6 and began the site investigation. Initially, the number of spot fires located around the site cre - ated speculation that the fire had been intentionally set. The interior team located an electri - cal circuit box on the west end of the mezzanine level of Building A; this was in the gen - eral location where early witness statements placed the initial flames. The box was found damaged by an electrical short and was determined to be a possible source of ignition.

The teams worked until September 9, when a final meeting was held and the team attributed the cause of the fire to an electric short in the west central end of Building A. The intensity of the fire was considered increased because of poor house - keeping practices. The multiple spot fires were determined to be the result of flying embers from the fully developed fire and subsequent radiant heat.

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