COLUMBUS, Ind. – The Columbus Fire Department (CFD) announced Friday that the cause of the 5th Street fire early this month has been ruled “undetermined.”
Local and Indiana State Fire Marshal’s office investigators combed through debris in an area that was determined to be the origin of the blaze, per CFD’s Capt. Mike Wilson. That area was identified as a ground-level storage building attached to the rear of both 422 and 440 Fifth St.
Due to the structural compromise of the building and the danger of possible collapse, investigators were limited in extending the investigation past the point of origin.
“The fire was ruled undetermined because the building is unsafe to conduct further investigation as is outlined under the National Fire Protection Association standards,” CFD investigator Troy Todd said.
The building at 422 5th St., which sustained the most damage, was recently declared condemned.
“Undetermined” is one of four cause classifications used by fire investigators. Typically it means a fire that lacks physical evidence or accounts of factors that led to it. Other cause classifications include natural, incendiary, and accidental.
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