Fire investigators’ report on the early-morning blaze that severely damaged large portions of the Nashville Public Library's downtown parking garage on June 10 identified a “secured storage area” on the fourth floor as the fire’s point of origin. Investigators’ findings do not say what provided such powerful fuel for the fire, nor has the Nashville Downtown Partnership — the business coalition that leases the garage — released any statement on what was stored on site.Â
Black smoke stains are still visible on the side of the garage, which is cordoned off with caution tape and a chain-link fence. The library itself will remain closed until at least July 28. As the city continues to assess the fire’s extensive damage, Metro appears headed toward another legal thicket to determine liability. A 2017 contract signed by both parties that leases the garage to NDP, extended in 2023, includes insurance provisions approved by city attorney Lora Fox.Â
Assessment shows light impact to downtown facility following June 10 parking garage fire
A findings report from Nashville Fire Department investigator John Torzilli names a “tool room” as the origin of the library fire. Torzilli does not officially determine a cause, though he eliminates any intentional or weather-related theories, leaving electrical failure as the only remaining possibility. Previous reporting cites firefighters’ impression that the NDP stored items related to vehicle maintenance at the fire’s point of origin — a broad category that could include highly flammable fuel. Photos released by the Nashville Fire Department show burned-out cars and a destroyed garage ramp.Â
Cleanup and repair will likely reach tens of millions of dollars, putting NDP on the hook for an insurance claim that could create a financial crisis for the organization. In recent years, the NDP has run tight annual budgets of $12.7 million (2021), $18.4 million (2022) and $19 million (2023) according to IRS filings. Most visible for its downtown ambassador program, the NDP is a coalition of business interests overseen by an extensive board filled with executives of the city’s most powerful commercial players, like Titans CEO Burke Nihill and real estate tycoon Tony Giarratana.
City attorneys signed off on NDP’s insurance policies as part of the contracting process. These policies will now determine how much NDP will get toward garage repair and whether taxpayer money might be brought in to cover for NDP’s storage accident.Â
The Nashville Downtown Partnership provided the following statement to the Scene:
"The fourth-floor storage space in the library garage was used by our contractor, Block by Block, and not by the Nashville Downtown Partnership. Block by Block staff used the space to store equipment and supplies needed to deliver daily cleaning and safety services. We continue to work with our contractors and partners in the Metropolitan Government and remain grateful to all those involved in the response and cleanup."
