After investigation into the massive fire that destroyed the Paradise Cove condominium complex, Carolina Beach Fire Chief Alan Griffin released a statement that does not provide conclusive evidence of the cause of the fire, but indicates it started in an outdoor common area.
“Investigators currently have no data to support an intentionally set fire, mechanical failure, or any building feature that would have contributed to the start of the fire.”
Griffin said in the statement that video footage and eyewitness accounts provided an approximate location of where the fire started — in a common area where residents went to smoke.
Investigators confirmed there were multiple residents who had smoked in this area outside the property on the day of the fire and high winds had contributed to the spread. As the location of where the fire started was outside, there were no fire sprinklers or smoke detectors in that area so it went undetected until it spread rapidly by high winds and cut off stairways.