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PRIME Editor EAST LONGMEADOW Fire Chief P. Robert Wallace is asking the public to keep the tips and information on the Bluebird Estates fire coming. "No matter how minute you think the information is, please call [the police department tip line at] 525-5440," Wallace told Reminder Publications. Wallace said a team of state and local fire investigators is actively following up on all information provided to the investigation. "We have received several tips and leads on the tipline," Wallace confirmed. He declined to elaborate on the information, citing the ongoing investigation. He did confirm that the initial investigation of the fire scene uncovered three partially melted red gas cans scattered in the first floor wreckage of the complex. "There were potentially more, but because of the collapse [of the structure] they would have incinerated," he said. East Longmeadow Police Officer Joe Barone told Reminder Publications that he, Sgt. Denis Sheehan and Troopers Michael Mazza and Joseph Gura from the State Fire Marshall's office have been following up on "a number" of leads received both at the police station and on the fire marshall's arson hotline. "It's very much active and still ongoing," Barone said of the investigation. In addition to following up on leads from the two tiplines, Barone said the investigation team is awaiting the results of evidence submitted to the state crime lab. He said he hopes to be able to release the results of the crime lab analysis in the near future. Bluebird Estates erupted into flames shortly after midnight on Sept. 26. The fire that destroyed the partially-completed elderly housing complex on Parker Street was officially declared arson during a press conference on Oct. 5. | ||||||
