Thompson ends two-decade career as state police fire marshal
For more than two decades, Steven Thompson spent most of his time solving puzzles as he tried to determine the origin and cause of fires that destroyed lives, homes and businesses in Washington and Greene counties.
But answering those riddles came to an end late last month when Thompson concluded his almost 25-year career as a state trooper, where he spent more than two decades as fire marshal for Troop B in Washington. Thompson was one of the longest-serving fire marshals in Troop B.
“I decided to try it out,” Thompson said of his decision to become a fire marshal. “I always heard arson was one of the toughest crimes to prove.
“I fell in love with trying to figure out the cause of fires,” he added. “Sometimes it takes years to figure out who did it.”
Thompson joined the state police in May 1990. The Bridgeville native, who now lives in North Strabane Township, knew from the time he was a student at Chartiers Valley High School he was interested in a career in law enforcement and wanted to be a member of the state police. Thompson is the first member of his family to be in law enforcement although his nephew has since become a Virginia state trooper.
He graduated from California University of Pennsylvania with a degree in criminal justice.
After he graduated from the state police academy, Thompson’s first assignment was as part of the patrol unit with Troop A in Greensburg.
“It was a good place to start because it was pretty busy,” said the master trooper.
He joined Greensburg’s crime unit for several years before he was able to transfer to Washington, where he was again assigned to the patrol section. Six months later, he joined the fire marshal unit with Charles Frey, who is now a corporal overseeing the state police installation at the Lady Luck Casino at Nemacolin Woodlands.
“When I first got on, I didn’t imagine I would spend almost my entire career as a fire marshal,” Thompson said. “But now, I couldn’t see myself doing anything else.”
Training started with a course in basic arson investigation in 1994. Other courses including special classes like electrical training. “The most intensive training was the two weeks I spent at the National Fire Academy in Emmittsburg, Md.,” he said. “Most of the fire marshals in the country train there.”
“It has been continuous training,” Thompson said. “It all evolves. It is an ongoing learning experience because materials used to construct things and building construction have changed over the years. It changes the way you have to look at things.”
An investigation into a fire is like a puzzle.
“It is very intriguing to find out how it started,” Thompson said. “You read the pattern of the fire.”
Thompson estimates he has been part of about 2,000 investigations, often partnered with now-retired Trooper Shawn Jones as well as Trooper Eric Graham, who is taking over the lead role. In addition to fires in the two counties, they also investigate fires at state-run facilities in Allegheny County. One of those fires several years gutted the former Dixmont State Hospital, which was closed at the time.
Fire marshals generally get called to investigate any time the cause of the fire cannot be determined by local fire officials or if it appears to have been deliberate, Thompson said. Fire marshals are required to be called if the fire results in a fatality.
Fire chiefs are trained to assist the fire marshal. Thompson said if the chief knows the cause is electrical, for example, the fire marshal has to be called.
“They know what not to disturb or move around prior to us getting there,” Thompson said.
“Generally, one-third the fires are intentionally set, one-third are accidental and one-third the cause is undetermined because it was burned so badly,” Thompson said.
One of the fires that stands out in Thompson’s mind was the Jan. 14, 1997, arson that gutted the sanctuary of First Christian Church on East Beau Street in East Washington. A Washington brother and sister were arrested almost four years later and are serving prison sentences. Tassandra Duchi, 43, is serving her sentence at the State Correctional Institution at Muncy while her brother, Scott Duchi, 40, is serving his time at SCI-Retreat.
Thompson was also part of the team that investigated the explosion last year that killed a worker at a gas well site in Greene County. He said it was a week before the site was deemed safe enough for workers to enter and begin the investigation.
Thompson is not sure what the future holds for him, but he is looking forward to doing something totally different.
“I think I will miss the excitement of trying to figure out how the fire originated,” Thompson said. “And I will miss the fire chiefs and firefighters I have gotten to know over the years. I respect what they do and I think they are the reason why I had such a successful and rewarding career.”
“I don’t know what the next chapter of my life will be,” he added. “But if it is anything like the last chapter was, it will be a lot of fun.”