Appendix D: Arson Report
This report relates to the cause and origin of a fire that occurred on April 19, 1993 at the structure known as the "Branch Davidian compound" located near Waco, Texas.
STATUTES VIOLATED
This report establishes that the fire was the result of an intentional act by a person or persons inside the compound and in in violation of state and federal criminal laws including but limited to: Title 7, Section 28.02 of the Texas Penal Code (Arson), and Title 18, Section 844(i) of the U. S. Code.
Furthermore, if the prosecution establishes that a person intentionally causes the death of an individual in the course ot committing or attempting to commit Arson, the person may be trie,j for Capital Murder as defined under Title 5, Section 19.03 T.P.C. punishable by life imprisonment or death.
BUILDING DESCRIPTION
The involved structure was a multi-storied, wood framed building in an irregular shape with a ground floor area of approximately 12,500 square feet. Contained within the buildinq on the ground floor were the men's living quarters, a kitchen an"i dining room with adjacent food storage area, several utility rooms, a chapel, and a gymnasium.
The second floor was located over the entire length of the front of the building and above the food storage area, as well as in an area above the northeast portion of the chapel. The second floor was apparently used as quarters for women and children, and also contained Vernon Howell's quarters. Both corners on the front of the building contained a third floor. A third and fourth floor were located over the food storage area.
The building appeared to have been constructed haphazardly over a period of time with no attention to any building or fire codes. No bathroom or plumbing fixtures were found within the building with the exception of,sinks located in the kitchen area. Used lumber had been employed in construction. Most of the building's interior lacked wallboard. Foundation, slabs, and piers were unreinforced concrete of inferior quality.
A poured, unreinforced concrete foundation wall approximately 1001 x 241 was located on the southeast section of the building. Cinder blocks with a poured concrete cap set directly on the earth made up the remainder of the exterior foundation on the front. The remaining structural foundation was either cinder blocks set directly on the earth or homemade unreinforced concrete blocks.
Most of the interior foundation was made of poured unreinforced concrete blocks or cinder blocks set directly on the earth, unreinforced concrete slabs, or poured concrete blocks formed from five gallon cans and/or half gallon milk containers.
Floor joists were identifiable from remains found on the ground floor only. Most appear to have been wooden 2" x 6"s. There were no mechanical connections to foundations or piers, with the exception of the 100' x 2' section previously noted. Several materials used for flooring on the ground floor were noted, including 1/21 plywood, 1" particle board and 1" particle board over 1" x 6"s.
The exterior framing in the 100' x 24' area on the ground floor appeared to be 2" x 6"s. The remaining exterior framing appeared to be 2" x 4"s. Exterior walls throughout were covered with 1/2" exterior masonite. The entire front section of the building's ground floor (176' x 24') appears to have had interior walls covered with 1/211 sheetrock ' wallboard. The remains of 1/2" sheetrock were also found in the chapel area. No remains of interior wallboard were found in either the dining room or the gymnasium. The interior wall coverings above the first floor are unknown.
The only materials known to have been used for roof construction were found at the rear of the gymnasium. In this area, 3/8" plywood had been laid over 2" x 8" homemade wooden trusses. The roof of the entire structure was covered with rolled asphalt composition roofing material.
Electrical power to the building had been turned off prior to the day of the fire. No evidence of any energized electrical service to the building was observed.
There were also several underground storage rooms that appeared to have been dug directly under the existing structure. A school bus had been buried at the west end of the building. The bus was a part of a tunnel system extending from the west end of the building to a large concrete walled structure (unfinished construction) partially roofed by plywood covered with tar paper.
The only entrance to the tunnel system from the main building was through an opening in the floor of the main building, west end. This opening led to a small underground room with access to the rear door of the aforementioned school bus.