WILLIAMSBURG. (Kentucky Today) – The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has deployed its National Response Team (NRT) to assist in the investigation of a fire that destroyed nearly an entire block of businesses and apartments along Main Street in downtown Williamsburg last month.
The NRT is an elite group of highly trained investigative experts equipped with advanced forensic and analytical capabilities. The team specializes in complex fire, explosives, and bombing investigations and can deploy anywhere in the United States within 24 hours of notification. NRT personnel include special agents, certified fire investigators, fire protection engineers, chemists, explosives enforcement officers, certified explosives specialists, bomb technicians, accelerant detection canine teams, and other technical experts and specialists.
NRT members have been working on scene with ATF Louisville Division Agents and Certified Fire Investigators since the fire, supporting the investigation in its earliest and most critical stages. These personnel have documented the scene, captured imagery of the fire damage, and conducted preliminary processing while coordinating closely with local partners.
The team’s primary responsibility will be leading the investigation into the fire including interviewing witnesses, analyzing, processing and documenting the fire scene, and determining the origin and cause of the fire.
“This was a massive and extremely dangerous fire that nearly wiped out an entire block of businesses and apartments,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge John Nokes, of the Louisville Field Division. “ATF is here to work alongside our local partners to bring every available resource we have to help determine the cause of this fire and find answers for those affected by this devastating event.”
Since its inception in 1978, ATF’s NRT has deployed 944 times nationwide to provide expert investigative support following major fires, bombings, and other large-scale incidents. The team’s rapid response capability allows investigators to secure critical evidence and determine the cause of incidents that threaten public safety.
