Dayton Daily News
HAMILTON, Ohio — The house fire that killed Hamilton firefighter Patrick Wolterman has been ruled an arson, police announced Monday. Because of that, the firefighter’s death is being investigated as a homicide.
Police are offering a $10,000 reward to anyone with information on the case and urging them to call Crimestoppers at 513-352-3040. Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser added that his office would contribute $5,000 to the reward amount.
Wolterman, 28, died Monday, Dec. 28, from injuries he sustained while battling a blaze at a home in the 1300 block of Pater Avenue in Hamilton. He was the department’s first fatality in the line of duty since 1971.
“The loss of life from a criminal act receives our best investigative efforts, but this case is different. It’s different because it hit so close to home,” said Hamilton Police Chief Craig Bucheit. “It’s different because it involves the loss of a fellow safety service member and firefighter Patrick Wolterman.
“It’s different because we know how devastating this loss has been to Patrick’s family, his fellow firefighters and our entire community,” the chief said. “That loss weighs heavily on the hearts and minds of those of us who are charged with investigating this case, but I can assure you we will tirelessly examine every piece of evidence, pursue every lead and work every angle of this investigation until we deliver justice to those who are responsible.”
Bucheit and city officials released little information about the ongoing investigation, but the police chief did say investigators had received tips and leads. He said police need more help from the public.
“We’d like the public to provide the information that they have that we think can help us solve this. So information about about the fire itself, anything they saw, anything they’ve heard. If they have family and friends, anyone that has information that they think is important, even if they don’t think it’s important. If they have information that could potentially impact our investigation, we want to hear about it,” Bucheit said.
Lester and Bertha Parker’s two-story house caught fire about 1 a.m. Dec. 28. Wolterman fell through the floor into the basement of the house while fighting the fire.
As first reported by the Journal-News last week, police officers were first called to the residence after ADT security company reported an alarm at the residence.
The fire was discovered by a police officer investigating a security alarm, according to police and fire scanner traffic reviewed by the Journal-News. The officer told dispatchers there was smoke coming from an open cellar door.
The Parkers left their residence for a 45th wedding anniversary trip to Las Vegas just hours before the alarm in the home alerted police dispatchers.
“Heavy smoke coming out of it … too heavy to get close,” the officer says in scanner chatter.
A dispatcher also says they have a report of a fire at 1310 Pater Avenue. In a 911 call released Monday by the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, a man who was across the street at a church said, “Something is on fire.”
The officer tells the dispatcher there may be an “old man and woman” who live in the home.
At 1:13 a.m., the police officer tells the dispatcher, “there is heavy smoke coming from the cellar. There is an open cellar door in the back.”
On Monday, officials also released a 20-minute audio tape of firefighters at the Pater Avenue home as they were fighting the fire, and the tragic moments when Wolterman was hurt. Hamilton Public Safety Director Scott Scrimizzi asked the news media to be sensitive about releasing some of the audio.
“Please think of his family and friends,” Scrimizzi said.
In the audio, a firefighter can be heard saying, “Back out, back out.” Then another firefighter announces, “We’ve got a guy that’s still inside.”
About 10 minutes into the call, with Wolterman’s emergency alarm sounding in the background, a firefighter says, “I can hear his alarm going off. He has fallen though into the basement. I am trying to fight the fire …”
About nine minutes later, firefighters say they are coming out of the house with the injured firefighter. Wolterman was rushed to Fort Hamilton Hospital where he died from his injuries.
Officials from the State Fire Marshall’s Office, Hamilton police and fire department and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are also involved in the investigation.
Copyright 2016 Dayton Daily News
All Rights Reserved