Not arson? ATF releases cause of Oakland apartment complex construction site fire – The Mercury News

OAKLAND Federal investigators said Friday the cause of the latest construction site fire to hit this city was undetermined despite its similarities to other East Bay arson blazes, according to a statement from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Investigators will continue to consider any new evidence or information provided by witnesses or community members, but as of now the ATF has not found a definite cause of the four-alarm July 7 fire that destroyed the unfinished 328,000-square-foot Alta Waverly project at 23rd and Valdez streets in Oakland. The wood-framed structure would have contained 196 apartments and 31,500 square feet of retail space at street level.

After examining all the evidence, ATF has determined the cause of the July 7th fire to be undetermined, said Special Agent in Charge Jill Snyder, head of the San Francisco Field Division.

The developer Wood Partners still plans to rebuild.

We are hopeful the ATF and fire officials can make a determination of the cause of the fire in the future, Wood Partners spokesman Sam Singer said in a statement. Wood Partners continues to work with the City of Oakland to rebuild the project.

The early morning blaze had numerous similarities to three other construction site fires in Oakland and Emeryville over the last year that investigators have ruled as arson.

Two massive Emeryville fires, at the same construction site, had the fire started in the same stairwell at the center of the development, according to the developer. Another Oakland blaze near Lake Merritt also started in a central stairwell.While few details of the Valdez Street fire have ever been released publicly, the fire chief said the first arriving fire crews found flames coming from the center of the building construction.

All four fires were started in the early morning hours and when the buildings were at their most vulnerable before flame-resistant sheet rock was added to the wood framing.

The ATF has offered a $110,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for starting the three fires at construction sites in Oakland and Emeryville that have been ruled arson. The agency also released photos of a mystery man in surveillance video, riding a bike and wearing a dark hoodie. At one point, that man climbs scaffolding at the Emeryville construction site shortly before the fire starts and hes seen leaving the scene.

The developers of the arson cases have both said they believe one or more people who are politically against new market-rate buildings have torched their buildings.

The ATF is asking anyone with information about any of the fires to contact them at 888-ATF-FIRE or visit http://www.reportit.com or through the ReportIt app on their phone. Calls can be kept confidential.

Check back for updates.

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Not arson? ATF releases cause of Oakland apartment complex construction site fire - The Mercury News