The police and fire department officials are hoping tests on items removed from the burned-out building at 3181 Third Ave. will determine the cause of last Thursday evening's blaze there.

Faulty wiring has been ruled out, according to Whitehorse Fire Chief Clive Sparks.

"As far as we can tell, the power had been disconnected in the building," he said today.

"It makes us really look because there is no electricity connected so we can say that the electrical service was not the cause of the fire, but that doesn't rule out anything else, of course."

Sparks would not say what had been sent out for forensic testing following the day-long scouring of the site by investigators on Friday.

The inferno attracted hundreds of onlookers and 30 firefighters, who battled the flames through Thursday evening and into Friday morning.

While the now-boarded-up site, owned by long-time area resident Klaas Heynen, was frequented by homeless people, nobody perished in the blaze.

"Investigators looked at that situation and to this point there have been no human remains located," Whitehorse RCMP Sgt. Mark Groves said today.

"That it was such a place became known to us during the investigation."

At least two 200-lb. propane tanks and several full 20-litre kerosene containers were removed from the building by firefighters, but Sparks said none were involved in the fire.

"If it turns out there is no criminal part of it, the investigation falls under us," said Sparks of police involvement.

"But if there's any criminal activity, it falls under the RCMP. Until we determine that it's a joint investigation."