BEAUMONT, Texas — Beaumont business man Tom Flanagan is now under investigation for the arson of the Gilbert Building and was the subject of a search warrant Tuesday. Flanagan issued a statement earlier today denying any involvement in the fire.
A 14 page affidavit for the search warrant was recently released, and the Beaumont Fire Department says the document speaks for itself when it comes to Flanagan's possible involvement with the fire.
The search warrant is painting a larger picture on what happened the night of the Gilbert Building fire. It states that a man was spotted on video walking near the building right after it erupted into flames.
Investigators now say that man was a former employee of Flanagan, and Beaumont Chief Earl White says every detail is part of an ongoing investigation.
"The building didn't have any electricity. It doesn't just have to be one thing during an investigation, an investigation can take several different avenues," said White.
Investigators allege that Flanagan hired someone to burn the Gilbert Building, but also two other building in the same night to stretch fire resources.
According to the warrant, Flanagan took a lie detector test that say he showed signs of deception.
12News sat down with Flanagan after the fire where he claimed he had nothing to do with it.
"Seeing it near destroyed, being helpless, and then being kind of a victim of a mob mentality on the internet, that somehow I had something to do with it or created a condition for it to happen, is totally untrue," said Flanagan.
Flanagan instead said that the city was the main culprit.
"The city won't keep people out of our buildings means that I caused this crime, this horrible tragedy, I don't know where you're going with that," said Flanagan.
After BFD executed the search warrant at his office inside the San Jacinto building Wednesday, Flanagan's lawyer sent 12news this statement.
"I was not involved, nor am I aware of any other person or people who may have been involved in the fire. To have been the cause of the fire would not only serve to destroy property I own, but to endanger other properties I won in the vicinity that have tenants in them. There is no logical reason I would have ever done this. Nor am I the type of person who would ever engage In such activities," the statement said.
White says the next steps in the investigation is to process all the evidence collected from Flanagan's office.
He also says that a fire at one of Flanagan's other buildings two years ago is still under investigation.