LAWRENCE MAN ARRESTED IN FATAL KANSAS FIRE

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Jason Allen Rose of Lawrence was being held in the Douglas County Jail today in connection with the Oct. 7 fire that killed three people and injured 19 at the Boardwalk Apartments in Lawrence.

Charges against Rose, 20, were pending following his arrest in the blaze, which displaced all the residents of the 76-unit apartment building on Fireside Drive. Investigators did not immediately release information regarding the origin and cause of the fire, but classified the blaze as incendiary.

Marvin Richardson, Special Agent in Charge of the National Response Team of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Mark Bradford, Chief, Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical; Rose Rozmiarek, Chief Investigator, Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office; Ron Olin, Chief, Lawrence Police Department; Ken McGovern, Sheriff, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office; and Ralph Oliver, Chief, Kansas University Public Safety Office; announced the completion of the on-scene investigation of the fire.

“The investigators have removed the human remains of the three fatalities, conducted over 195 interviews, taken hundreds of photographs and inspected and examined all areas of concern at the scene,” Richardson said.

He added that information gathered during the interviews combined with information from the scene investigation led to Rose’s arrest. The evidence removed from the scene will be sent to the ATF Laboratory for examination and analysis.

“ATF’s National Response Team has completed its work at the scene; however, the investigation is continuing with more interviews yet to be completed. Investigators continue their request for anyone with information regarding this fire to contact the fire department at 785-832-7600,” Richardson said.

Chief Bradford said, “I am impressed and grateful for the cooperation exhibited by all of the agencies involved in this case. State, local and ATF investigators worked together as a team to investigate the circumstances surrounding this deadly fire.”

All of the investigators offered special thanks to the neighboring fire departments for their assistance, the human remains detection dogs and their handlers, the surrounding law enforcement community and the victims and their families for their patience during this tragic ordeal.

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