"This is why people that don't specialize in demolition, shouldn't be doing demolition"

Investigators looking into the fire that destroyed the old Kindel Furniture in Grand Rapids, MI factory say the demolition crew that caused the fire did not have the proper permit for their work and was not in compliance with fire-prevention regulations.

This week, Grand Rapids Fire Department officials ruled the fire at the Garden St. SE plant on May 9 was accidental.

Investigators determined the fire started in a lacquer spraying booth on the third floor. They say sparks from a reciprocating saw likely ignited lacquer residue. The findings support initial witness reports on the day of the fire.

Fire investigator Rik Dokter says the demolition work was being done by a home remodeling firm called Hassle Free Homes of Joliet, Illinois. He says normally they would not have been doing demolition, but took the job because business was slow.

Dokter says the contractors working to demolish the building on the day of the fire did not have the proper "hot" permit, which would allow them to work in a site that is potentially hazardous. Dokter says the crew was required to have a "fire watch," or someone standing by watching any work with a fire extinguisher ready to put out any fire. He also says the workers were required to cover any potentially flammable material within 25 feet of the work.

Dokter says it is likely that had the crew followed the requirements for a fire watch and covering flammable materials, the fire would not have gotten as bad as it did.

Dokter says the crew was using a saw, but did not consider that to be "hot" work.

Two weeks before, another crew from the same company, using a torch in their demolition work in the Kindel factory's basement, caused another fire. But in that incident, someone was working as a fire watch and used an extinguisher to put out the fire before it grew out of control.