Damaged electrical wires, not an arsonist, caused the massive fire that gutted Eastern Market three years ago, according to a final report by the fire department.
D.C. Fire Chief Dennis Rubin said the fire started with an electrical wire that was damaged by heat from a motorized trash compactor. Boxes outside of nearby trash bins fueled the flames. The market reopened last year after a $22 million renovation.
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Earlier reports suggested that someone intentionally set the blaze, and fire investigators staked out the area to see whether they had an arsonist on their hands.
– Scott McCabe
