Baltimore police said Wednesday the deaths of three firefighters while responding to a vacant rowhouse fire in January were ruled as homicides following the classification of the fire as “incendiary” by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

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       The classification means a fire is either “intentionally ignited or spread into an area where the fire should not be” and also includes fires that “are not necessarily intentional, but directly result from other criminal activity,” ATF said in a news release on Wednesday.

       Early in the investigation, ATF officials released surveillance photos of a person they said may have information “crucial to the investigation” and have now identified the person, according to the news release. The ATF said the investigation is ongoing.

       Three Baltimore firefighters die after burning rowhouse collapses

       On the morning of Jan. 24, Baltimore City firefighters responded to 205 S. Stricker St. for a reported vacant building fire, police said. As firefighters entered the three-story building to extinguish the fire, the building partially collapsed and four firefighters were trapped inside.

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       Firefighter/EMT John McMaster was pulled from the collapsed building and taken to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center, police said, where he was released several days later. Lt. Kelsey Sadler and Firefighter/EMT Kenneth Lacayo were also taken to Shock Trauma and died shortly after. Lt. Paul Butrim was pronounced dead at the scene.

       Baltimore firefighter conscious and alert after deadly building collapse

       Police said the Medical Examiner’s Office determined they died “from injuries sustained while attempting to extinguish the fire.”

       “Thoughts of Lt. Butrim, Lt. Sadler, and Firefighter/EMT Lacayo have been present in our minds every step of this investigation,” ATF Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby said in the news release. “We would like to thank members of the community who contacted ATF and our partners with information, as well as for their outpouring of support for Baltimore City Fire Department and the loved ones of these fallen heroes.”