The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has activated its National Response Team to investigate the fire early Monday that destroyed the Park Theatre Mall in Estes Park, an agency official said Tuesday.

The 21-person team will arrive in Colorado on Tuesday and begin its investigation Wednesday, said Craig Roegner, spokesman for the ATF in Denver.

The team is composed of veteran agents having post-blast and fire origin-and-cause expertise.

On the team are forensic chemists, explosives-enforcement officers, fire-protection engineers and intelligence specialists. Accelerant-detection canines will be available if needed, said Roegner.

Roegner said the team will join six Denver-based ATF agents who already are in Estes Park investigating the blaze that was first reported at 6:19 a.m. Monday.

The early morning fire gutted the historic downtown landmark, which was built in 1914 as a livery stable and carriage house. It was renovated in the 1970s.

The mall housed 13 businesses.

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