ATF PROBES COURTHOUSE FIRE; MISSISSIPPI COUNTY FINDS OFFICES

CHARLESTON -- While 30 federal agents began an investigation into a fire that destroyed the Mississippi County Courthouse, the Mississippi County Commission Tuesday reached an agreement to set up shop in a nearby office building.

It will take the various county offices about a week to move into 10 offices at 801 E. Marshall, said Jim Blumenberg, presiding county commissioner. The building, owned by Charleston realtor E. Paul Jackson, is about a half mile from the courthouse, Blumenberg said.

The offices should be operational by the end of next week, and no business will be conducted until then, he said. The county is in the process of buying used office furniture and equipment, Blumenberg said.

The building will be home to all but one of the agencies that were housed in the courthouse, Blumenberg said. Only the office of public administrator will not be there, but Blumenberg said space for that office will be found soon.

In the temporary building will be the offices of the assessor, treasurer, clerk, prosecuting attorney, and probation. The building also will house two courtrooms and the judge's chambers, he said.

"We're really as satisfied as we can be in this situation," Blumenberg said. "It hit us all at once; it was very sudden. I suppose it won't be as good as the courthouse but it will be better than nothing, and we have to have some place to conduct county business."

He said the offices probably will be in the temporary building for at least two years. He said a courthouse probably will have to be built but some want to rebuild from what is left.

"We'll want to look at how badly the courthouse was damaged and see if we can rebuild it," Blumenberg said. "No one is even allowed in until after the investigation."

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms began its investigation into the fire Tuesday. About 30 agents from the AFT's National Response Team ascended on the scene, said Larry Scott, an ATF public-information officer. The team is the same one that investigated the Oklahoma City federal building bombing.

The ATF is being assisted by the Missouri fire marshal, Missouri Highway Patrol, Mississippi County Sheriff's Department and the Charleston Department of Public Safety, Scott said.

Authorities said Monday they suspected arson in Monday's early-morning fire. No official cause will be given until the investigation is complete, Scott said. He said the cause of the fire will be hard to determine because it was a large one.

Investigators are waiting for heavy equipment to move some of the fallen roof on the burned floor of the courthouse, he said.

Scott said, "We've surveyed the scene, and we're going to methodically go over every inch of the scene and reach a conclusion as to whether it's arson or accidental."

Scott said the investigation could take as long as a week.