Investigation continues into condo blaze; developer still mum on rebuilding

By: JO MORELAND - Staff Writer | Monday, January 22, 2007 11:38 PM PST ∞

ESCONDIDO -- As the investigation continued Monday into the huge blaze that burned The Paramount condominium project in Escondido last week, officials were not releasing any hint of what caused the fire.

The drone of bright yellow heavy equipment filled the area where four condo buildings stood before they erupted in flames Thursday afternoon and became the largest structure fire in the city's history.

Texas-based developer D.R. Horton, Inc., has not publicly said yet whether it will rebuild. Company officials didn't return calls for comment Monday afternoon.

"They were just talking (Friday) about they would like to build again," said Escondido Mayor Lori Holt Pfeiler. "They just don't have the timing yet."

The $6.6 million project between Centre City Parkway and Escondido Boulevard is a significant piece of the downtown area's revitalization plans.

On Monday, blackened debris was being scooped into piles and carefully raked by investigators trying to find evidence that could tell them what caused the blaze.

"They're still interviewing witnesses and workers, and just peeling through the wreckage layer by layer," said Carol Rea, spokeswoman for the Escondido Fire Department. "There's such a range of possibilities. By the end of the week they will hopefully know something."

The fire department is being assisted in the investigation by Escondido police and agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Authorities said agents are sifting the debris to try to find the remnants of tools or anything that might have started the fire, as well as to attempt to determine whether the blaze was set, or was accidental, electrical or natural.

"We're progressing well through the buildings," said Carl Vasilko, ATF assistant special agent in charge. "We have to remove the layers. There were a lot of issues we had to deal with, like collapsed scaffolding."

Vasilko said it will take another two to three days for on-scene work in the effort to determine where and how the fire started.

"We know that it was a passerby that called it in first," Rea said. "Apparently most of the workers were not in that building where the fire started. We're not sure how many workers were in there yet."

About half of the 122 units had been built before the blaze. According to the Fire Department, 46 went up in flames and eight units were saved.

As the fire burned, fire-resistant drywall that had been delivered but wasn't installed yet fell through floor after floor, landing in neat stacks, Rea said.

"That's part of the reason the fire spread so quickly through these buildings," she said. "The drywall wasn't up yet. The construction hadn't reached the point where it could be put in."

Although no humans have been reported lost or severely injured in the blaze, one badly burned male cat was rescued Friday as the frightened, confused animal kept running into the smoldering debris.

"Hot Stuff," as the cat was named by an officer who helped trap him, is receiving intensive veterinary treatment at the Escondido Humane Society.

Jennifer Dolan, Humane Society spokeswoman, said Monday that it's too soon to know whether the cat will survive.

"He's fine today," Dolan said. "However, we have to wait seven to 10 days to determine whether he suffered smoke inhalation. He actually is eating today."

As far as damage caused by the fire, Pfeiler said a street lane that melted next to the blaze will have to be replaced, and it will cost about $5,000 to repair a city fire truck.

Heat from the fire cracked the truck's windshield and melted some of its light fixtures, the mayor said.

Nearby businesses in the Signature Pavilion south of the condo development that were evacuated or suffered fire damage appeared to be operating normally Monday.

So was the Classical Academy High School, with about 120 students back in school. About 75 students were evacuated Thursday as black smoke roiled up from the fire.

"Most kids had cell phones on them so they could call their parents to pick them up," said Laura Wilson, administrative assistant at the school.

At Crown Books next to the blaze, people were flocking to the children's section during the weekend for a closeup view of the investigation through the bookstore's plate-glass windows, said manager Miriam Ruvinskis.

"You can come here and see a day in the life of the ATF," Ruvinskis said.

She said many spectators were also buying books, and the store had to stay open an hour later Sunday to accommodate customers.

"Since the fire broke out, it's been like a great (sales) boom," Ruvinskis said.

There also has been a lot more action and people at the condo site since the blaze than she has seen recently, the manager said.

"The construction was so slow," said Ruvinskis. "Lately it was very, very slow. You got used to it. You just see the buildings there, no people."

-- Contact staff writer Jo Moreland at (760) 740-3524 or jmoreland@nctimes.com.

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