BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and Buffalo Fire Commissioner William Renaldo say the two-alarm fire that partially destroyed two Civil War era buildings in the Cobblestone District is "suspicious in nature."
"In the case of the cobblestone, it didn't have any utilities, no gas, no electric going to the building," Commissioner Renaldo said. "These buildings don't generally start themselves on fire, so it is suspicious in nature."
At the request of Mayor Brown, Commissioner Renaldo asked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) to assist with the investigation.
Renaldo says that Buffalo Fire and ATF investigators were planning on examining the buildings at 110 & 118 South Park Ave. in order to determine if it's safe enough for forensic investigators to enter the building.
"Fire investigators have not entered the building yet," Renaldo said.
News of the ATF's involvement in the decision comes as both the city and building owner Darryl Carr were informed that Erie County Court Judge Sheila DiTullio reversed a decision that would have allowed Carr to tear down the buildings.
In January 2023, Buffalo Housing Court Judge Patrick Carney granted Carr a demolition application for the Cobblestone District buildings.
The City of Buffalo immediately filed a lawsuit over the decision and Judge DiTullio overturned it on June 18, the same day as the fire.
But neither the City of Buffalo nor Carr were informed of the ruling until Monday afternoon.
"I'm not trying to connect the two at all," Mayor Brown said. "We will see where the investigation leads but I'm not drawing any conclusion to the judge's decision, and the start of the fire."
Carr reiterated to 2 On Your Side Tuesday afternoon that he will be appealing Judge DiTullio's decision.
"I spoke with my attorneys, and we are appealing the judge's decision," Carr said. "Obviously, that was, that was the opinion of one judge in the county."
Speculation about the cause of the fire has dominated much of the conversation on social media, with many of the comments pointing to the finger at Carr as the one who sparked the blaze.
Carr rejects the idea.
"I've heard all kinds of wild stories, " Carr said. "That the city set the fire, I set the fire. You know, all these things, it's all conspiracy theories."
Carr did say he had a history with squatters in the building during his nearly two decades of owning the two properties.
As it pertains to the ATF now being involved in the investigation, Carr said he welcomes their deep investigative bench.
"'m really happy they brought the ATF in," Carr said. "I hope they find out the cause, whether it was man or God or who knows? I can't speculate at that."