Third person dies after apartment fire in Old Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A third person has died after apartments in Old Louisville burned last week and investigators want to know if the fire was set intentionally.

Flowers sit in front of the home that now has bricks missing, windows burned out and belongings left on the lawn.

Two women, Flo Filatreau and Theresa Shultz were killed in the fire.

Officials say a man who was originally rescued by firefighters from the second floor couldn't survive his injuries and died Thursday.

"When you've got so many people and so many families affected, it's something that we're working very hard on all day long, everyday," said Major Henry Ott with Louisville Metro Arson.

Ott has said from the beginning that the fire looks suspicious.

He says right now, investigators know it originated in the first floor hallway area and spread upwards.

"The patterns indicate that something was poured on the stairs and we used an arson detection dog who also alerted at different portions but what we want to do, and it's important, is to confirm those patterns and confirm that with the state lab," Ott told WDRB News.

A sign asking for tips on the arson investigation has been posted near the 2nd Street home.

The thought that someone set the fire intentionally is unsettling for neighbors.

"I'm afraid they're gonna come back and maybe do this building at anytime. We don't know," said Pat. She lives next door and asked us to only use her first name.

Ott says ATF is assisting in the investigation. He tells us the lab will start processing the evidence next week and the results should be available within days.

"It's still an ongoing investigation," he said. "We're treating it as a suspicious and a possible set fire and all of our direction is along those lines."

When asked about the fire escape that was locked, Ott said that investigators have discovered it's been locked for years. He says officials have an idea of who did it, but they still need to confirm that information.

More: 2 dead, 4 hospitalized after apartment fire in Old Louisville