By Don Jacobs
Knoxville News-Sentinel
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knoxville fire investigators doubt any meaningful evidence will be found to determine the cause of a mulch fire last week that fouled the area’s air and forced closure of several roads because of dense smoke.
“As far as an on-site investigation, it’s been moved around so much, and so much has been removed that it’s going to be very difficult as far as evidence,” Knoxville Fire Department Assistant Chief Danny Beeler said Wednesday.
“The dynamics of the site have changed. It’s not the same.”
City crews Tuesday finished hauling away debris from the 9-acre site of Shamrock Organic Products on Ailor Avenue that caught fire April 15. Debris was removed to allow firefighters to extinguish hot spots in the piles that reached 30 feet high.
David Brace, director of Knoxville’s public service department, said more than 2,000 tons of debris had been removed. City crews transported it to a demolition landfill site off Rutledge Pike.
Brace said the city paid the landfill operator about $30,000 to dump the debris. Brace said he was unsure if the city would try to bill Shamrock for the dumping costs or if that “is just considered part of the firefighting operation.”
City spokesman Jesse Mayshark was unable Wednesday to say if Shamrock Organic Products will be billed for any of the firefighting costs.
“The entire incident is under review,” Mayshark said. Beeler, who commands the fire investigation unit, said that because evidence will be lean, the probe will focus on firefighters’ observations of the scene.
“Our best witnesses are the first firefighters on the scene, especially those who have answered calls there before,” Beeler said.
The most striking observation thus far, Beeler said, is “how quick” the flames spread. He said it appears firefighters were facing a “perfect storm” of heavy winds, flames and plenty of fuel on the site. Beeler said he had to educate himself on mulch fires for a thorough investigation.
“Those things can be smoldering for days without any smoke,” he said. “The smoke gathers in the pile, and when it is released, it’s not visible to the human eye.”
“I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to determine what caused it,” Beeler added. “But we may.”
The Fire Department has maintained control of the scene since the flames erupted at 11:30 a.m. April 15. Randy Greaves, president of Shamrock Organic Products, said he hopes to officially regain control of his property by today.
Greaves said he hopes his insurance company by next week will replace the seven pieces of equipment he lost to the flames. Once the cleanup is complete and he has equipment, Greaves said he’ll reopen for business.
Greaves maintains his business was the victim of an arsonist. He said he thinks the flames erupted from a pile of raw, unprocessed wood rather than the piles of mulch.
“But without an accelerant or witness, it’s going to be very difficult to prove,” he said.
Greaves said he operates a responsible business that practices safe procedures. He rejected any allegation that negligence was involved in starting the fire.
“I’ll be exonerated when it’s all done,” Greaves said.
Copyright 2012 Knoxville News-Sentinel