ATF National Response Team Activated to Texas Governor's Mansion Fire

AUSTIN, Texas, June 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Response
Team (NRT) of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
and ATF special agents from the Austin Field Office, Houston Field Division,
have been activated at the request of the Texas State Fire Marshals Office and
the Texas Department of Public Safety in the investigation of a fire that
occurred at the Texas State Governor's Mansion Sunday, June 8. The team of
about two dozen agents and specialists arrived in Austin today and began the
scene investigation.
"ATF is working with the Texas State Fire Marshal and the Texas Department
of Public Safety in this joint investigation. We will work together to
determine the origin and cause of this fire," said Special Agent in Charge
Dewey Webb, of the ATF Houston Field Division, who believes it will be
difficult to estimate damages to this 152 year old historic monument, located
on Colorado and 11th Street.
In 1978, ATF developed the NRT to provide resources to federal, state and
local investigators in meeting the challenges faced at the scenes of
significant arson and explosives incidents. The NRT consists of four 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.
In addition to investigating hundreds of large fire 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 9/11 Pentagon crash site, as
well as explosions at explosives and ammunition manufacturing plants, legal
fireworks factories and illegal explosive device manufacturing operations.
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 team's efforts are technical, legal and
intelligence advisors. Moreover, a fleet of fully equipped response vehicles
strategically located throughout the United States is available to provide
logistical support.
This will be the NRT's 16th activation this fiscal year and the 655th
activation since the inception of the NRT in 1978.
ATF is the federal agency with jurisdiction for investigating fires and
crimes of arson. More information on ATF can be found at www.atf.gov .

CONTACT: Earl Woodham, Special Agent, PIO
Cell: (704) 591-5005;
Michael Reyes;
Office: (512) 349-4545 or
Todd Reichert
Office: 202-648-8500

SOURCE Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Earl Woodham, Special Agent, PIO, +1-704-591-5005, Michael Reyes,
+1-512-349-4545, or Todd Reichert, +1-202-648-8500, all of the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives