Investigators are working to determine what caused the fire that significantly damaged R.I. House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi’s law office in Warwick Tuesday night.
But because the damage to the building was so extensive, the R.I. State Fire Marshal’s office tells 12 News it may be awhile before they’re able to determine the cause.
Shekarchi’s law office is housed in a commercial building on College Hill Road, which is right off of Route 2. He said he’s been working out of that building for 30 years.
“It was shocking,” he said. “I was really shaken, to be quite honest with you.”
Shekarchi said he had just returned home from the State House when Mayor Frank Picozzi called and told him the building was on fire.
“I just thought immediately of my clients that I have open files and ongoing matters with,” he said. “How am I going to continue to represent them?”