Evaluation of the Handling of the Branch Davidian Stand-off in Waco, Texas/The Fire

Evaluation

A. COULD THE FBI HAVE PREVENTED THE DEATHS OF THE BRANCH DAVIDIANS?

The Fire

An examination of the burned ruins of the compound by independent arson experts concluded that the fire was deliberately set from within the compound. It is not clear whether the decision to set the fire was a unanimous decision of the entire group, or whether some people were held hostage or were shot to prevent their escape from the fire. A number of children were shot to death.

The Arson Report states:


 * This fire was caused by the intentional act(s) of a person or persons inside the compound. Fires were set in three separate areas of the structure identified as points of origin 1, 2 and 3. This investigation establishes that these fires occurred in areas significantly distant from each other and in a time frame that precludes any assumption of a single ignition source or accidental cause....Investigative findings further confirm that flammable liquids were used to accelerate the spread and intensity of the fire.

The Arson Report notes that in addition to the multiple origin points and flammable accelerants, the spread of the fire was enhanced because the compound was constructed with no consideration for fire safety, the strong wind from the south intensified the spread and the building contained highly combustible materials, such as baled hay.

There is also evidence from the Davidians who survived the fire suggesting that the fire was deliberately set. In a statement given to the Texas Rangers on April 20, 1993 a Davidian stated that the fire was started with Coleman fuel which had been distributed throughout the compound in specific locations. Another surviving Davidian was interviewed by the Texas Rangers on April 19, 1993 and stated that he was in the chapel with several other people when the armored vehicle drove through the front door and he heard the word passed to "start the fires" or "light the fire," and heard someone else say "make sure." Agent Lloyd Sigler, who spoke with him immediately upon his exit from the compound, reported him saying that Koresh had previously spoken of burning the compound if confronted by police. In a May 7 interview that same Davidian confirmed hearing a conversation about lighting a fire and stated that he thought there was some plan to burn the building and that he recalled seeing someone deliberately splashing, pouring or dousing the Chapel area with lantern fuel.


 * REDACTED FROM PUBLIC REPORT PENDING RELEASE OF IMPOUNDED MATERIAL.

The infra red film taken from an airplane at the time the fire started shows intense spots of heat erupting in different spots in the compound at almost the same time. These locations were too far removed from each other to have been ignited by the same source. In addition, many of the HRT personnel who were within sight of the compound when the fire started report that they saw flames erupt almost simultaneously in different locations in the compound.

The Arson Report concludes that the fire was started by persons inside the compound and not by the activities of the FBI vehicles. "We are of the opinion that these [tear gassing] operations did not contribute to the ignition or spread of the fire." The report does not rule out the possibility that the spread of the fire could have been enhanced by spillage of flammables caused by the FBI breaching activities. However, given the significant evidence that the Davidians were deliberately spreading fuel around the compound, there is no reason to believe that any such spillage would have been a primary factor in the spread of the fire. The Arson Report also states that the law enforcement breaching operation opened holes in the compound that allowed the wind into the compound, possibly enhancing spreading, but it recognizes that at the same time the fresh air may have also given people more time to escape before they were overcome with fumes from the burning compound.