Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

SAN FRANCISCO – About 20 members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ National Response Team, or NRT, arrived on scene today at the 3800 block of San Pablo and 40th Street in Emeryville, Calif., to help investigate a six-alarm fire that occurred early July 6.

“Our role here is to help investigate the cause and origin of the fire with the Alameda County Fire Department,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Debbie Livingston. “We approach these scenes without any preconceptions about what may have happened, and let the evidence guide us to a conclusion.”

The NRT is also working closely with the Emeryville Police Department, the Alameda County Fire Investigation Task Force, Oakland Fire Department, City of Oakland and the City of Emeryville.

The structure was still too unsafe to enter today. Agents and local investigators surveyed and documented the exterior of the structure and began conducting interviews and reviewing surveillance video.

The National Response Team is a resource for any federal, state or local agency in need of fire investigation support. It is composed of veteran special agents who include certified fire investigators, certified explosives specialists, fire protection engineers, chemists, forensic mappers and other highly specialized and experienced fire investigators.

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