A devastating fire that tragically took the life of a Buffalo firefighter trapped inside a costume shop has been deemed accidental, with no criminal charges forthcoming. The Erie County District Attorney, John Flynn, announced the findings of the investigation, revealing that the March 1st inferno originated from a blowtorch being used on the building's exterior. Sparks from the blowtorch ignited bags of clothing within the three-story structure, leading to the fatal blaze.

The fire resulted in at least two explosions, powerful enough to knock firefighters off their feet outside the building. Debris and smoke filled the downtown street as the fire raged. Fire Commissioner William Renaldo explained that one of the explosions, captured on video, was a backdraft – a phenomenon occurring when oxygen is rapidly drawn into a burning building and then forcefully expelled.

Following the initial explosion and a subsequent evacuation order, firefighters realized that firefighter Jason Arno, who had issued a mayday call, was missing. Despite brave attempts to rescue him, a second explosion forced the firefighters to retreat. Arno was found trapped beneath a fallen metal clothing rack. Tragically, his body was recovered approximately 3 1/2 hours after the initial report, with smoke inhalation and burns determined as the cause of death.

Arno, 37, was a three-year veteran of the fire department, a recent newlywed, and the father of a young child. Investigators discovered that while contractors using the blowtorch had employed a metal shovel to deflect the flame away from a plywood door, a spark likely slipped underneath, igniting the clothing inside. Although the use of a blowtorch to melt snow and ice before starting masonry work was deemed careless, the District Attorney concluded there was insufficient evidence to suggest criminal negligence. The building, which housed only the costume shop, had been recently acquired by former U.S. Rep. Chris Jacobs.