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Arson dogs, federal, state authorities join investigation into Central Pier fire in Atlantic City
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AC fire investigation
Atlantic City fire investigators ,along with ATF agents investigate the cause of the Central Pier fire scene. ATF investigators have been brought in to help in determining the cause of Saturday evening's three-alarm fire that gutted Central Pier. Monday, November, 23, 2009 ( Press of Atlantic City / Danny Drake)
Photo by: Danny Drake
ATLANTIC CITY - Arson dogs along with federal and state authorities have joined the investigation into a weekend fire that gutted parts of a Boardwalk landmark.
Firefighters rushed to Schiff's Central Pier at about 7 p.m. Saturday to find smoke pouring from the historic building that housed several businesses and an arcade. No one was injured, but three businesses and part of the arcade were severely damaged by the blaze.
"It was a real deep-seated fire," Chief Dennis Brooks said Monday. "We tried to get behind it from the beach and also get in front of it."
Now, investigators are looking for what sparked the fire that ripped through two of the stores and left behind $2 million to $3 million in damages.
Brooks would not say that arson was suspected, but he acknowledged calling in the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with the state Division of Fire Safety.
"We wanted to have more eyes on the investigation," Brooks said. "We want everyone to draw the same conclusions."
Agents from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives could be seen Monday huddled around an area in the far back of the former Hot Spot, which sold T-shirts and other souvenirs to tourists. The area likely was where the fire started, Brooks said, although earlier reports suggested it began in the pizza shop next door.
But unlike the Hot Spot and The Smile Shop to its other side - both gutted by the blaze - the 3 Brothers from Sicily still had much of its store intact.
A dog from the State Fire Marshal's K-9 Arson Unit sniffed around the charred remains Sunday.
Evidence is being collected and will be sent to the state for examination, Brooks said Monday. He expects the search to end by today, then it will be a waiting game to get information back from the lab.
Cost estimates are not complete, as investigators are still digging down into the original centuries old foundation, which did suffer some damage, the chief said.
Additional damage was also inflicted in a utility company's apparent attempt to shut off gas to the pier, according to investigators. Two large chunks of Boardwalk were missing across the way from Schiff's, right in front of two business huts, which were shuttered as a result.
"I think they were looking for the gas line," Brooks said, leaning down to peer under the wooden way. "It's not there."
The gas shut-off valve instead is inside the pier.
Neither Robert nor Abraham Schiff - who run the pier - could be reached for comment. The brothers own about 70 percent of the noncasino real estate on the Boardwalk.
A similar fire broke out two years ago, destroying about five stores near the Casino Control Commission, about a block from Central Pier. That fire was ultimately ruled suspicious, but no one was charged in the case.
Contact Lynda Cohen:
609-272-7257
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Posted in TOP THREE | ATLANTIC CITY on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 5:30 am Updated: 12:23 am.
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