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Koresh's zealots started the fire
Posted on: April 20, 2021 at 10:29:57 CT
Spanky KU
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https://oklahoman.com/article/2428778/cult-members-started-fire-independent-arson-team-says
WACO, Texas (AP) - Independent arson investigators Monday supported FBI claims that members of a doomsday cult started a fire that consumed their prairie compound in a suicidal inferno last week.
"We believe it was intentionally set by persons inside the compound," said Paul Gray, who headed the investigation team. "At least two locations were significantly distant enough from each other that they couldn't have been set by the same source at the same time. " The FBI has said the fire was set by Branch Davidian members.
Some of the nine survivors have said the fire began when an FBI tank that punched holes through a wall knocked over a burning lantern.
Also Monday, a second victim of the blaze was identified, and authorities said she had a bullet wound to the head.
A purported adviser to cult leader David Koresh surrendered.
The Feb. 28 raid by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms left four agents dead and started the 51-day siege that ended with the fire that killed as many as 86 people, including Koresh and 17 children.
Gray said several factors contributed to the quick movement of the April 19 fire, which burned the compound to the ground within 45 minutes, before firefighters could begin dousing the blaze.
"The building contained a large amount of unusually flammable materials," including guns, ammunition, hay and several types of gaseous liquids, he said. The compound was poorly constructed and the blaze was fanned by wind gusting to 30 mph. Because of the other factors, a quicker response by firefighters "may have been inconsequential," Gray said.
The body of a woman found atop the bunker inside the compound was identified as 18-year-old Shari Doyle, said David Pareya, a McLennan County justice of the peace.
He said Doyle had a gunshot wound to the head, but smoke, carbon monoxide, and extensive charring also contributed to her death.
Paul Fatta, 35, one of Koresh's reputed "inner circle," surrendered Monday to Texas Rangers in Houston. He was charged with conspiracy to manufacture and possess unregistered machine guns, said Texas Ranger Brantley Foster.
WACO, Texas (AP) - Independent arson investigators Monday supported FBI claims that members of a doomsday cult started a fire that consumed their prairie compound in a suicidal inferno last week.
"We believe it was intentionally set by persons inside the compound," said Paul Gray, who headed the investigation team. "At least two locations were significantly distant enough from each other that they couldn't have been set by the same source at the same time. " The FBI has said the fire was set by Branch Davidian members.
Some of the nine survivors have said the fire began when an FBI tank that punched holes through a wall knocked over a burning lantern.
Also Monday, a second victim of the blaze was identified, and authorities said she had a bullet wound to the head.
A purported adviser to cult leader David Koresh surrendered.
The Feb. 28 raid by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms left four agents dead and started the 51-day siege that ended with the fire that killed as many as 86 people, including Koresh and 17 children.
Gray said several factors contributed to the quick movement of the April 19 fire, which burned the compound to the ground within 45 minutes, before firefighters could begin dousing the blaze.
"The building contained a large amount of unusually flammable materials," including guns, ammunition, hay and several types of gaseous liquids, he said. The compound was poorly constructed and the blaze was fanned by wind gusting to 30 mph. Because of the other factors, a quicker response by firefighters "may have been inconsequential," Gray said.
The body of a woman found atop the bunker inside the compound was identified as 18-year-old Shari Doyle, said David Pareya, a McLennan County justice of the peace.
He said Doyle had a gunshot wound to the head, but smoke, carbon monoxide, and extensive charring also contributed to her death.
Paul Fatta, 35, one of Koresh's reputed "inner circle," surrendered Monday to Texas Rangers in Houston. He was charged with conspiracy to manufacture and possess unregistered machine guns, said Texas Ranger Brantley Foster.
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Koresh's zealots started the fire - Spanky KU - 4/20 10:29:57
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