ATF Agents Enter Ole Miss Fire Investigation

The New Orleans Field Division Response Team (DRT) from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), United States Justice Department along with ATF special agents from Oxford Field Office have entered the investigation of a fatal fraternity house fire that occurred on Friday morning, August 27, 2004 at the Alpha Tau Omega, 402 Confederate Drive, Oxford, Mississippi.

Mark R. Chait, Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of ATF in New Orleans, LA, said, "On behalf of the men and women of ATF I want to express my sympathy to the families and friends of the victims who lost their lives in the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity house fire this morning. At the request of the University of Mississippi and the Oxford Fire Department, I am mobilizing ATF agents from Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi along with agents from Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee to assist our state and local partners in this important investigation. The ATF DRT is being brought in to assist in the investigation because of the difficulties presented when investigating a fire of this nature. ATF DRT members are expected to begin arriving in Oxford later today so that they can begin work when the scene becomes cool enough to allow entry by the investigators.

Agent Chait said, "The team is composed of veteran special agents who have post blast and fire origin-and-cause expertise and have available to them forensic chemists support; explosives enforcement officers; fire protection engineers; accelerant detection canines; explosives detection canines; intelligence support, computer forensic support and audit support. The team will work alongside state and local officers in reconstructing the scene, identifying the origin of the fire, conducting interviews, and sifting through debris to obtain evidence related to the fire.

Further complementing the team's efforts are technical, legal, and intelligence advisors. Moreover, a fleet of fully equipped response vehicles strategically located throughout the United States is available to provide logistical support.

Other agencies participating in the investigation at this time are: University of Mississippi Police Department, Oxford Fire Department, Oxford Police Department, Lafayette County Sheriff's Office, Mississippi State Fire Marshal, and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.


(04.09.2004)

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