No Accelerants In Bollinger Blaze

No traces of flammable accelerants were found on material taken from the burned rubble of Bollinger Plaza, police said.

The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms’ laboratory in California concluded no such liquids were evident after testing material sniffed out by a trained dog, police Lt. Alan Johnson said.

Although accelerants have been ruled out, arson has not, he said. About a dozen tips have come in since the June 18 blaze destroyed the historic building.

But if someone did set the fire, it would be hard to prove, he said.

The Weisgerber, another notable building, was destroyed by an arson fire in 1994 and no one was ever prosecuted.

“We have a very strong feeling as to who is responsible,” Johnson said of that fire. “However, we cannot arrest or convict on the statements we have alone; we need corroboration, which we have not been able to get.”