Five pumpers surrounding the Bibb mill in Columbus poured thousands of gallons of water into the smoldering rubble, Oct. 30, 2008. (Dave Bender)
Agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating a blaze that destroyed the historic Bibb Mill in Columbus, said to be one of Georgia's largest-ever stuctural fires.
The four-story, 750,000-square-foot brick textile mill on the Chattahoochee River closed in 1998 after a century of operations. Firefighters fought the blaze for eight hours Thursday morning.
The ATF's National Response Team, which investigated bombings of the World Trade Center in 1993 and the Oklahoma City federal building, was called in over the weekend by Columbus fire officials.
Its presence does not mean terrorism or arson is suspected.
"Our primary responsibility is to establish the cause of the fire," ATF spokesman Marc Jackson said.Click here for more GPB News coverage and exclusive photos of the Bibb Mill fire.
