ATF Seeking 'Person of Interest' in Baltimore FF Deaths
By Taylor DeVille
Source Baltimore Sun
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is offering a $10,000 reward for information about a man they called a “person of interest” in an investigation into the rowhouse fire that killed three Baltimore firefighters and injured a fourth Monday.
The agency’s Baltimore field office is investigating the cause of the fire that burned through a vacant rowhome in Southwest Baltimore’s Mt. Clare neighborhood.
Baltimore City Fire Department Lieutenants Paul Butrim and Kelsey Sadler and paramedic/firefighter Kenny Lacayo were killed when the building collapsed, making the blaze one of the deadliest for firefighters in city history. EMT/firefighter John McMaster also was caught in the collapse and seriously injured, but he was rescued quickly and, after several days at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, returned home Thursday.
Investigators have not yet determined a cause of origin of the blaze, but are seeking a person of interest, ATF spokeswoman Amanda Hils said Friday.
Both Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski said they would match the reward, bringing the total offered to $30,000.
Scott said he was matching the reward “so that we can bring justice to the families of the fearless men and women ... we lost this week.”
Olszewski echoed the sentiment, saying: “Baltimore County is matching this $10,000 reward in support of efforts to swiftly bring the perpetrators of this act to justice.”
The ATF said the man was captured on surveillance cameras around the scene of the fire on S. Stricker Street the evening before the fire occurred.
“The brave men and women of the Baltimore City Fire Department are always ready to respond when the people of Baltimore need them,” ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr. said in a statement. “Now it is our time to be there for them when they need us.”
Anyone with information about the person being sought or the fire is asked to call investigators at 888-ATF-TIPS or by emailing [email protected]. The agency also is seeking photos and video of the fire.
Baltimore Sun reporter Jessica Anderson contributed to this article.
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