Acetylene torches believed cause of Conshohocken blaze

Acetylene torches being used by construction workers to remove eight metal balconies are believed to be the source of a devastating fire at the Riverwalk at Millennium luxury apartment complex on the Conshohocken riverfront, according to investigators.

The cause of the fire likely will be classified as accidental, the investigators said.

What is unclear, however, is whether the workers had borough permission to remove the ground level balconies from the main structure. Sources said the balconies had been approved as part of the project owned by O'Neill Properties Group L.P, called the Stables at Millennium. It was unknown why the balconies were being removed. Investigators already have determined that the fire started at the Stables, a 309-unit apartment building which was under construction, and then jumped to nearby, occupied buildings.

Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said the official cause of the fire would be announced by her office, and that announcement would not be made today. She declined to comment further.

The fire stopped SEPTA commuter trains and slowed Schuylkill Expressway traffic to a crawl as it destroyed two apartment buildings and left an estimated 375 people homeless on Wednesday.