Fort Worth Fire Department takes a backseat in hotel explosion
FORT WORTH- The Fort Worth Fire Department has handed the keys to the Sandman Signature Hotel back over to the property owners to coordinate with the attorneys and other interested parties in the multiple lawsuits that have now been filed in the aftermath of the blast.
"We are an interested party still, so we are not going away," said Fort Worth Fire Chief Jim Davis. "We are just stepping back as the lead agency, and we are allowing the courts to work with the different folks that have brought action---civil action, and we are prepared to continue to monitor...continue to be a cooperative partner."
Chief Davis said investigators felt comfortable taking this step because there was no indication the explosion was criminal.
Related: Explosion at historic Fort Worth hotel injures 21, covers streets in debris
Victims have filed several lawsuits; each wants to bring in experts to determine the cause.
"If they find anything, we reserve the right to step back in and say okay. Now, this possibly could rise back to criminal intent because of what you found here," Davis said. "And so we are going to reinsert ourselves as the lead agency."
Fire investigators still believe natural gas was somehow involved, but Atmos Energy has said it found no indication its gas line or equipment caused the explosion.
Related: Atmos Energy files lawsuit looking to prevent liability in Sandman Hotel Explosion
The company blames hotel management and property ownership, Northland, in its legal filings.
The attorney for injured restaurant employee Jose Mira, who worked at the Sandman, said it's too early to know.
"Everybody wants to figure out what caused the explosion, and that's the main focus right now," attorney Eric Marye said.
Marye filed a lawsuit against the hotel, Northland, and Atmos Energy on Mira's behalf.
According to Marye, Northland has to shore up the building before experts can conduct a cause and origin investigation.
"And I hate to tell you, but it's probably going to be about a month of work before the building is deemed safe enough to begin sort of the cause and origin type work," he said.
In the meantime, Marye said his client is still suffering from the traumatic brain injury caused by the explosion.
"He got knocked down and then obviously had to crawl his way out, but he's a trooper," said Marye. "We'll get through this."
They'll continue searching for answers while the civil court system oversees the next investigation phase.