Fire chief describes multi-day St. Catherine's blaze as incendiary; arson probe underway

Interim Fire Chief Scott told the Public Safety Committee that the recent multi-day fire at the St. Catherine's area required a sustained, multi-agency response and defensive tactics because crews could not safely enter heavily involved, boarded-up buildings. He said the fire smoldered over several days and required mutual-aid support and a prolonged fire-watch.

Scott said the state fire marshal and ATF assisted with the investigation and "did determine that this is an incendiary fire." Police reported they have a person of interest in custody on other charges and are awaiting forensic lab results before pursuing arson charges. Fire staff described access constraints, aging water infrastructure and the need for hose shuttles and standby tenders to maintain fire-suppression flows at the scene.

Scott also said the incident produced multiple other operational demands across the city, including cardiac arrests and trauma responses while heavy fire resources were committed, underscoring the department's request for extra apparatus and staffing. Fire officials said exposure reports and air-quality testing were conducted during demolition and that hazardous materials protocols were observed.