Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The cause of the June fire at The Old Pink on Allen Street in Buffalo has officially been ruled an arson.
Buffalo Fire Commissioner William Renaldo says a person of interest has been identified in connection with the case, but no arrest has been made yet.
The two-alarm fire started on the morning of June 17 near the rear end of the building before quickly spreading toward the front.
Renaldo spoke to reporters Thursday night about video evidence that provided a break in the case.
"The video that actually helped us identify the person of interest actually came from The Pink itself, the internal video that they had and we were able to analyze that and look at that and that’s how we determined who this person was," Renaldo said.
Officials say the fire caused an estimated $1.25 million in damages. The building was a total loss, and had to be torn down later that afternoon.
Fillmore District Councilman Mitch Nowakowski represents the Allentown neighborhood and released the following statement:
“The loss of the Old Pink in Allentown is deeply felt. The recent fire, ruled as arson, posed a significant threat to public safety and could have jeopardized the safety of responding emergency personnel. This fire took away a long-standing iconic piece of the fabric of the Allentown community.
"A person of interest has been identified, and thanks to video and witness evidence, investigators have made significant progress. I want to extend my gratitude to the investigators for their hard work, and I hope an arrest is made soon to bring justice for the owners and the community.”
The Buffalo Fire investigation unit worked with the ATF to determine the cause of the fire.