Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) National Response Team (NRT) joined the investigation into the fire at a warehouse, located at 1400 N Garvin St., in Evansville. The fire started prior to 10 a.m., Saturday morning.

The team, led by NRT Supervisor David Oliver, will arrive and receive a team briefing today, and will begin the on-scene investigation tomorrow.

The NRT, along with ATF special agents from the Indianapolis Offices of the Columbus Field Division responded with Evansville Fire Department, the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Evansville Police Department. 
    
“ATF, including the National Response Team and our cadre of Certified Fire Investigators, has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in investigating the origin and cause of fires,” said Special Agent in Charge Daryl S. McCormick of the Columbus Field Division. “We will respond quickly to bring our training and experience to fire scenes around the country to assist our state and local partners.”
 
In 1978, ATF developed the NRT to bring its expertise to federal, state, and local investigators in meeting the challenges faced at the scenes of significant explosives and fire incidents. The NRT consists of three teams organized geographically to cover the United States. Each team can respond within 24 hours to assist state and local law enforcement/fire service personnel in onsite investigations. 

The teams are each composed of veteran special agents who have post-blast and fire origin-and-cause expertise; forensic chemists; explosives enforcement officers; fire protection engineers; accelerant detection canines; explosives detection canines; intelligence support, computer forensic support and audit support. The teams work alongside state and local officers in reconstructing the scene, identifying the seat of the blast or origin of the fire, conducting interviews, and sifting through debris to obtain evidence related to the bombing/arson.

Further complementing the teams’ efforts are technical, legal and intelligence advisers.  Moreover, a fleet of fully equipped response vehicles strategically located throughout the United States is available to provide logistical support.
 
This is the fourth NRT activation in fiscal year 2023 and the 895th since its inception.

In addition to investigating hundreds of scenes, the NRT has also been activated to scenes such as the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the Oklahoma City federal building bombing and the Sept. 11, 2001, Pentagon crash site, as well as blasts at explosives and ammunition manufacturing plants, legal fireworks factories and illegal explosive device manufacturing operations. 

The NRT was most recently deployed to Indiana in October, 2022 for a warehouse fire at 119 N. Morton Ave. in Evanvsille. In addition, the NRT investigated the fire at the Walmart Distribution Center located in Plainfield, Ind. in March, 2022.

More information on ATF can be found at www.atf.gov.

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