He said investigators were able to make a determination following an extensive investigation of the fire scene and multiple interviews with witnesses and first responders.
Seven people were injured in the explosion and resulting fire. The residents of Unit 33, Erica Vencill and her teenage daughter Rachel, have been hospitalized in the burn unit at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton where they were listed in fair condition as of Tuesday afternoon.
Cartmill said the building has been released back to the apartment management company and their insurance company. He said damages were reported at $1 million. No other information was released about the blaze.
The apartment complex was built in 1973 and has a valuation of about $1.4 million, according to the Warren County Auditor’s Office.
Some 30 residents were displaced from their apartments as a result of the fire. CMC Properties, the apartment complex’s management company, assisted in moving most of the residents into vacant units there.
Sally Thelen, Duke Energy’s spokeswoman for Ohio and Kentucky, said the regional utility company was aware of the state fire marshal’s ruling.
“We’re still working on gathering data as part of our ongoing investigation,” Thelen said.
Late last week, Thelen confirmed that Duke personnel were shutting off service in some units and was relighting pilot lights earlier in the day Nov. 2 at the apartment complex.
At that time, Thelen said their crews follow a strict process and guidelines when relighting pilot lights.
The Lebanon Fire Department has established a fund to benefit the Vencills through First Financial Bank.
Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4504 or erichter@coxohio.com.
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