Bad night in Phoenix a

[Danno]

A 2-alarm fire of undetermined origin has totally destroyed the offices and 15,000 sq ft shop of Arizona Street Rods in southwest Phoenix. No injuries have been reported but nothing was saved or salvaged; the roof collapsed during the massive fire and the building and all its contents ... including an unspecified number of classic, collector, and specialty vehicles ... have been lost.

In addition to being a full service rod and custom parts, fabrication, and modification shop, Arizona Street Rods manufactured chassis and all-steel reproduction 32 Ford roadster bodies.

More than 100 firefighters from Phoenix, Glendale, and Tempe Fire Departments have been battling the blaze since apprx. 7:30pm tonight (Friday) and remain on-scene; the fire is not yet under control.

Edited September 28, 2010 by Danno

[DRG]

At least no one was hurt, business insurance can rebuild.

[Karmodeler2]

I am glad no one was hurt, but the pain emotionally can be overwhelming.

The restoration guys at the Nethercutt collection said that fire was the one thing that can destroy a car to the point where they could not rebuild it. Every other disaster they could handle. As you may know, their work is impeccable.

David

[tuffone20]

Wow I saw something about the fire on the news but didn't hear them say what building it was.

[David G.]

I kind of wonder if there might be something going on. Just the night before, there was another huge fire at a moving-storage company just a few miles north near Indian School Rd and 27th Ave. That's two huge fires in two nights within a couple of miles of each other.

[Agent G]

I kind of wonder if there might be something going on. Just the night before, there was another huge fire at a moving-storage company just a few miles north near Indian School Rd and 27th Ave. That's two huge fires in two nights within a couple of miles of each other.

That's referred to as a "clue" detective

This is so sad, I'm thankful no one was injured or killed. This goes way beyond the loss of just the autos themselves. Then maybe we think this is just a random act of a fire starter? God forgive me for the thoughts I'm having at this moment.

G

Edited September 4, 2010 by AgentG

[David G.]

That's referred to as a "clue" detective

I'm not a detective. It just seems unusual to have two rather large fires so close in time and proximity.

[Agent G]

Oh heck yeah it is!

I'd be looking hard if I were an Arson investigator in Phoenix right now. I did two years in the Bomb and Arson section in St Louis, '92-'94. Per the protocals we had then, these two fires would have been an "all hands" investigation. ATF would surely have been called, and the district coppers would all be on the alert.

G

[Danno]

Oh heck yeah it is!

I'd be looking hard if I were an Arson investigator in Phoenix right now. I did two years in the Bomb and Arson section in St Louis, '92-'94. Per the protocals we had then, these two fires would have been an "all hands" investigation. ATF would surely have been called, and the district coppers would all be on the alert.

G

How right you are ... on all counts.

[my80malibu]

R.I.P. Arizona Street Rods

[envious8420]

R.I.P. Arizona Street Rods

it was just a building, not the spirit.

[impcon]

I agree - thankfully no one was hurt or worse. While the business can be rebuilt, what was in the building can't be replaced. Once an old car is gone, it's gone. It isn't like trees - a renewable resource. My heart goes out to the people who's dreams went up in smoke. Say ywhat you want but insurance really doesn't cut it by giving you dollars after you have lost something dear to your heart in a fire. Some things just can never be replaced no matter how much money they give you. I know...

[charlie8575]

I agree - thankfully no one was hurt or worse. While the business can be rebuilt, what was in the building can't be replaced. Once an old car is gone, it's gone. It isn't like trees - a renewable resource. My heart goes out to the people who's dreams went up in smoke. Say ywhat you want but insurance really doesn't cut it by giving you dollars after you have lost something dear to your heart in a fire. Some things just can never be replaced no matter how much money they give you. I know...

So very true.

Punks who have no respect for other's property need to be dealt with in as severe a manner as allowed under the Constitution. Especially when they destroy so much property of a business and others all in one stop.

Dare I say it, but I can't help but wonder if Arizona's "other problems" are contributing to these arson troubles.

Charlie Larkin

[Danno]

Speaking of the 18 classic/hot rod/street machine vehicles that destroyed in the fire, the local news interviewed a man whose 1964 Corvette was at AZ Street Rods and was destroyed. He bought the car new in October 1963 and has owned it ever since. That nearly makes you cry!

[impcon]

Speaking of the 18 classic/hot rod/street machine vehicles that destroyed in the fire, the local news interviewed a man whose 1964 Corvette was at AZ Street Rods and was destroyed. He bought the car new in October 1963 and has owned it ever since. That nearly makes you cry!

That is exactly the type of thing that I was talking about - there is not any Corvette in the world that could ever replace his car - even if GM was to build him a brand new exact replica..which of course is an impossibility. My heart really goes out to him especially. But my point is that while the '57 Chevy convertible that someone just bought and was lost would be bad enough, there was not the emotional attachment that there would be to a car that a person has owned for many years - say their first car for example. I have a '59 Impala convertible that was a gift from my parents in 1974 and though it is sitting in pieces and has been for years, if something ever happened to that car, it could never be replaced.

As for the people who started the fire - no matter who they are or where they are from - I truly believe that they should be tried and convicted for something akin to attempted murder regardless whether someone died in the fire or not - they had no real way of knowing that there was no one in that building when they torched it. People like that are a threat to us all because who knows where or when they will do this again.. the penalty for arson should be incredibly strict and send a really strong message to other firebugs. Just my opinion.

[David G.]

As for the people who started the fire - no matter who they are or where they are from - I truly believe that they should be tried and convicted for something akin to attempted murder regardless whether someone died in the fire or not - they had no real way of knowing that there was no one in that building when they torched it. People like that are a threat to us all because who knows where or when they will do this again.. the penalty for arson should be incredibly strict and send a really strong message to other firebugs. Just my opinion.

According to last night's news, officials believe it was an employee who started it with a carelessly tossed cigarette butt.

In my opinion, that would make it even more of a heart-breaker.

[Agent G]

An arson investigation is one of the most difficult to bring home. You essentially have two sides to the case. One is proving the origin and cause of the fire, the other is proving who set the fire.

The first can sometimes take a while. Without getting into specifics, first imagine walking into a structure completely destroyed by fire. Look around and tell me what you see. Show me how the fire progressed, where it started, and how. I was very fortunate in that some of the best fire investigators I have ever known were my mentors.

On my first scene I was asked, "What do you see?" I responded with "A bunch of burned up stuff". My partner/mentor said "With an answer like that, I know I can make an arson investigator out of you."

An additional hurdle sometimes is the DA's office. Fire science isn't taught in law school. When the DA says "What does all this mean? How do I make a jury understand it?" my response was always "Put me on the stand, if I can figure it out anybody can."

I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the squad, and if I hadn't screwed up and got promoted I'd still be there.

G

[Danno]

An arson investigation is one of the most difficult to bring home. You essentially have two sides to the case. One is proving the origin and cause of the fire, the other is proving who set the fire.

The first can sometimes take a while. Without getting into specifics, first imagine walking into a structure completely destroyed by fire. Look around and tell me what you see. Show me how the fire progressed, where it started, and how. I was very fortunate in that some of the best fire investigators I have ever known were my mentors.

On my first scene I was asked, "What do you see?" I responded with "A bunch of burned up stuff". My partner/mentor said "With an answer like that, I know I can make an arson investigator out of you."

An additional hurdle sometimes is the DA's office. Fire science isn't taught in law school. When the DA says "What does all this mean? How do I make a jury understand it?" my response was always "Put me on the stand, if I can figure it out anybody can."

I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the squad, and if I hadn't screwed up and got promoted I'd still be there.

G

And, Wayne, half of the first part ~ proving the cause of the fire ~ is also proving that no other causation could have occurred. That's what makes it particularly challenging ... proving what caused the fire and simultaneously eliminating all other possible causations.

Then, there's the real challenge (as you said) of proving who did it to the exclusion of all others.

= = = = = = = =

Having said all that, it should be noted in this particular string that there is as of this time no evidence to indicate the Arizona Street Rods fire was incendiary (arson). Part 1-A and Part 1-B are still in progress.

[Danno]

According to last night's news, officials believe it was an employee who started it with a carelessly tossed cigarette butt.

In my opinion, that would make it even more of a heart-breaker.

David, I saw that newscast also. They did a poor job of separating the two stories, but the employee/cigarette causation was in relation to the moving & storage company warehouse fire a couple of nights before the Arizona Street Rod fire. Origin & causation of the AZ Street Rods fire is still under investigation.

Sad on both counts: The moving & storage warehouse fire (also a 2-alarm) destroyed personal property and personal effects of 60 families. Unbelievably devastating to them.

[Agent G]

And, Wayne, half of the first part ~ proving the cause of the fire ~ is also proving that no other causation could have occurred. That's what makes it particularly challenging ... proving what caused the fire and simultaneously eliminating all other possible causations.

Then, there's the real challenge (as you said) of proving who did it to the exclusion of all others.

= = = = = = = =

Having said all that, it should be noted in this particular string that there is as of this time no evidence to indicate the Arizona Street Rods fire was incendiary (arson). Part 1-A and Part 1-B are still in progress.

Hmmm, how'd you like to be the one that tossed the butt right now? Sad.

Danno we had a saying it was either careless smoking by a pidgeon, or mice playing with matches.

Sometimes it's friction, two insurance policies rubbing together.

G

[Danno]

Hmmm, how'd you like to be the one that tossed the butt right now? Sad.

Danno we had a saying it was either careless smoking by a pidgeon, or mice playing with matches.

Sometimes it's friction, two insurance policies rubbing together.

G

I always made the 'smoking mice' joke, too ... until one fire I investigated where it turned out to be ... packrats stealing wood matches from the kitchen and taking them into their nest in the attic ... they chewed on them, one ignited ... the rest was history. So, even though cigarettes weren't involved, I actually had a 'smoking rodent' fire!