In a news release late Sunday night, the city said much physical evidence was destroyed during the intense blaze, and it is offering “a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the individual or individuals responsible for this fire.”
“Since various causes have been ruled out, the Albany Fire Investigation Unit strongly believes the fire was started by a human. However, they cannot determine at this time whether the fire was accidental or intentional,” the statement said.
The sprawling historic complex had been vacant since the Doane Stuart School left in 2009 after it could not come to a purchase agreement with the religious order that owned the campus. A New York City developer then owned the property and sold it to a limited liability company, also controlled by the developer. But redevelopment never happened, and the former convent was sold at auction for $100,000 just two days before the massive fire.Â
The Albany Police Department said it continues “to review various sources of physical and digital information, as well as eyewitness accounts from before, during, and after the fire.”
“Due to the intense heat and scope of the fire found upon arrival, as well as the unsafe structure that remained, many pieces of potential physical evidence were destroyed before they could be analyzed further,” the statement read.
Anyone with information regarding the fire is asked to contact the Albany Police Department’s Detective Division at 518-462-8039.
Anonymous tips may also be submitted online to Capital Region Crime Stoppers by visiting capitalregioncrimestoppers.com or downloading the free P3 Tips mobile app.
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said in the news release: “We hope this significant reward will prompt anyone with information to come forward and help the…
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