PONTOTOC COUNTY, Miss. (WTVA) - The question of what caused a fire at American Furniture is still to be determined after the flames were put out from the building Saturday night.
The first fire in January was ruled accidental by the state fire marshal following the investigation, labeled as an unintentional human intervention. Officials say this means that a person started the flame by accident through something like a cigarette butt or lighter.
Now the company believes that fire may not have been an accident. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the scene.
"We are very happy to be working with the ATF to identify the cause of this fire," Chief Financial Officer of American Furniture Todd Campbell said. "They have many agents from around the United States on this site working on identifying the cause of the fire."
The company posted their plans for their workers moving forward through a Facebook statement, and most of their employees will return on Thursday. Their number one priority is to get the branch functioning as normal as fast as possible.
The company is working to recover office building files and the replacement of over 15,000 pieces of furniture. Fire preventative measures will also be assessed during the rebuilding of the facility, the company shared.
During the investigation, the facilities are blocked off. The property is functioning as an active crime scene. Employees and the public are asked to restrain from visiting the property.
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