By Brenna R. Kelly and Jim Hannah
The Cincinnati Enquirer

FLORENCE - A team of investigators, including the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, will start trying to figure out today what caused a warehouse fire that destroyed six businesses.

Mike Steward (l-r), Boone County Sheriff Det. Tim Carnahan and Tom Ollier, all of the Boone County Fire Investigation Team, look over the smoldering ruins of the Boone Kenton Warehouse. (Patrick Reddy photo)

Local fire investigators called on the ATF's National Response Team because finding the cause of Saturday's blaze in the 125,000-square-foot Boone-Kenton Warehouse will be complex, said Florence Fire Chief Jim McMillen.

An estimated 20 to 25 members of the federal team are expected.

"This fire is not suspicious at this point," McMillen said. "It's just that the national response team has the rapid availability to many resources and technology that we don't have as quick or don't have access to."

The former tobacco warehouse on U.S. 42, which was loaded with carpeting, flooring, tractors, propane tanks and 40,000 square feet of Amish furniture, was still smoldering Monday.

The blaze caused more than $1 million in damage, said Christopher Tardio, Resident Agent in Charge of the ATF in Cincinnati.

Today a team of 20 to 25 investigators will begin working at the site.

"This will be a team effort in identifying the cause of the fire," he said. "That's why we are here, not that this is any investigation of any suspected criminality, it's just an effort to determine the cause of the fire."

The National Response Teams was developed in 1978 to help federal, state and local officials with investigations of significant arsons or explosives incidents.

This is its 12th activation this fiscal year and the 568th since its inception. It is the first time in at least seven years a team has been called to a fire in the Cincinnati area, Tardio said.

The team can speed up a fire investigation, doing a week's worth of work within a few days, said Special Agent Patrick J. Berarducci, a bureau spokesman.

The bureau also has jurisdiction because the businesses were involved in interstate commerce, Berarducci said. The agency is often called in when a fire loss exceeds $1 million.

"When the fire chief asks for our assistance, we come on down and lend a hand," Berarducci said. "This is a joint effort. Obviously, the cause was not readily apparent, or they would not have asked for our assistance."

Today, fire officials are planning to lift the collapsed tin roof with a crane.

"We've got to dissect this building now, we've got to take it out piece by piece," McMillen said. "And be very careful about it to ensure the safety of all personnel involved in this."

Fire officials hope to allow workers into several businesses behind the warehouse today.

Monday a road leading to the businesses was closed because a wall of the warehouse was leaning and in danger of collapsing.

In addition to the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Kentucky State Fire Marshal's Office, the Boone County Fire Investigation Team and Florence fire department are investigating.

Warehouse owner Shirley Elliot, who also owned a business inside, did not want to comment Monday.

The other businesses in the warehouse were: Cincinnati Wholesale Supply, Tim Gurren Wholesale Flooring, Viking Supply and Peg's Amish Made furniture. Fire officials said all had insurance.

"Right now we're seeking out a new warehouse so we can conduct business as usual," said Roy Smith, Florence manager for Cincinnati Wholesale Supply. "We have no plans to let this get us down."

"We do sell salt," Smith said, "and you don't know when it'll snow again."

Other business owners in the complex were taking a similar approach to the disaster, he said.

"It seemed like everybody was pretty much like, 'You gotta keep moving'."

A Boone County sheriff's deputy on patrol saw the fire about 9:30 p.m. Saturday and called dispatch. When firefighters arrived, flames were shooting through the roof. More than 50 firefighters from area departments battled the blaze well into the morning.

Firefighters were still at the site about 1 p.m. Sunday when they were called to a fire at the Wildwood Inn Tropical Dome and Theme Suites, about a mile-and-a-half east on U.S. 42. The landmark hotel lost five of its theme rooms in a freestanding building on the hotel's complex.

An electrical malfunction caused that blaze, McMillen said.

"There's no association between the two," McMillen said, "just an unfortunate coincidence with in a 24-hour period."

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Travis Gettys contributed. E-mail bkelly@enquirer.com