Downtown Tyler fire investigation continues; hot spots causing smoke

TYLER - Smoke continues to rise from the City of Tyler, just two days after Monday's fire along Spring Ave.

Wednesday morning, cleaning crews started moving in as business remains at a halt.

Tyler Fire officials are working to find the cause along with other local, state and federal teams.

The Bureau of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive National Response Team arrived Wednesday morning with 18 members of the ATF National Response Team.

Agents say they're working to stop the smoke and snuff out hot spots.

"There's a particular section of the building we're concentrating on," said NRT Special Agent Scott Sweetoo, in a joint press conference with the Tyler Fire Department.

Like surgeons, it's a task officials say will take days. Theyare delicately accessing the damage piece by piece.

Wednesday afternoon, Agent Sweetoo said he believes the fire started in the back of the Dan Hurst Law Office at 113 N. Spring Ave. That's the south end of the building.

Attorney Hurst told our crews his office was downstairs and the upstairs of the building was vacant for the most part.

"(I) don't know what it looks like inside or what's left," said Hurst, still shocked from the blaze. "My understanding is I don't think there is much."

All he can do now, he said, is try to pick up the pieces. Inside his business coat, tucked away in a pocket, were a few documents.

"It's my office," he said. "It's all I have."

Beverly Abell was downtown trying to preserve parts of the building on behalf of the City of Tyler Main Street Program Wednesday. She said the program is working alongside fire officials to first make sure the building is secure before looking to salvage anything.

"Our goal is to at least, hopefully, save the skin and the façade of the building," said Abell.

Also Wednesday, employees at one of the offices damaged, said they complained of a "gasoline-type" odor throughout the day Monday. The women asked to remain anonymous, but said they were concerned of a possible gas leak. However, the women ultimately decided not to pursue the matter upon leaving for the day.