The Red and Black

Issue date: 6/24/09 Section: News

Media Credit: MICHAEL FITZPATRICK Parts of the Georgia Theatre's air conditioning unit sit on Clayton Street. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: MICHAEL FITZPATRICK An ATF agent looks into the front doors of the Georgia Theatre. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: MICHAEL FITZPATRICK A large crane removes debris from inside the Georgia Theatre, which was gutted by fire on Friday. [Click to enlarge]

A construction crane set up shop outside the Georgia Theatre Tuesday, slowly lifting items from the theater's charred interior in order to find the cause of Friday's fire.

Investigators from the state fire marshal joined members of the Athens-Clarke County Fire Department and agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in the debris removal, which will include the steel roof beams and trusses. The crane pulled out air conditioning units Tuesday afternoon, setting them aside on Clayton Street so they could be examined.

"We are in the process of excavating certain areas of interest that would tell us more about the progress of the fire, to include the area of origin," said ATF spokesman Marc Jackson to the Athens Banner-Herald on Tuesday.

Clayton and Lumpkin streets aside the Theatre remain closed.

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