subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite mapBuy a Classified
Wed, Dec 03 2008 
Breaking News:  BREAKING: John Michael Montgomery to play low-price show at Indiana Theatre  December 03, 2008 12:24 pm

Published: April 11, 2008 11:06 am    print this story   email this story   comment on this story  

BREAKING UPDATE/with photos: President Clinton views damage at burned campaign office

Story updated 12:10 p.m.

By Brian M. Boyce
The Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE “This is a heck of a way to get publicity for Hillary’s campaign,” former President Bill Clinton told the growing crowd at what was left of 1426 S. Third St., the site of what was to have been Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton’s Terre Haute presidential campaign headquarters.

An off-duty volunteer firefighter driving by called 911 around 12:18 a.m. today, noting heavy smoke and flames coming from the single-story commercial structure also occupied by Westaff.

Three units from the Terre Haute City Fire Department responded to and extinguished the fire.

Two Clinton campaign workers, Erin Burger and Alexis Mundis, were in the office at the time of the fire. No one was injured, but one of their car’s was severely damaged by heat coming from the blaze.

When asked if the headquarters fire was a bad omen for his wife’s campaign, Clinton laughed and said, “No, I think this is a good omen. We’ll rise from the ashes like the Phoenix.”

Clinton, who stayed in Terre Haute on Thursday night following his speech at Vincennes University that day, was traveling north on U.S. 41/Third Street on his way to speak at South Vermillion High School in Clinton Friday morning, but stopped to see the damage done and express his concern for the safety of their campaign workers.

“I’m just glad they weren’t hurt,” he said, noting that the worker whose car was damaged by the fire’s heat lost her purse and keys as a result.

According to a fire department report, Burger and Mundis were unaware of the fire, which reportedly began in the roof, until after they escaped and it came through the ceiling.

The south side of the building, which was to have been Clinton’s campaign headquarters, was deemed a total loss, while the north end occupied by Westaff suffered smoke and water damage.

Clinton told the crowd that the campaign already has another location planned in the same commercial unit and will be opening the Terre Haute headquarters soon.

The cause of the fire is under investigation; authorities do not suspect foul play.

President Clinton views damage at burned campaign office — Posted 11:06 a.m.

Former President Bill Clinton stopped to survey fire damage at the Hoosiers for Hillary Terre Haute campaign office in Terre Haute enroute to a rally today at South Vermillion High School in Clinton.

He spoke with members of the public as well as Tribune-Star reporter Brian Boyce.

See tribstar.com and Saturday's Tribune-Star for complete coverage.

print this story   email this story   comment on this story  

Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.



Photos


President Bill Clinton stops in Terre Haute Friday morning to survey fire damage at the Hoosiers for Hillary campaign office while enroute to a campaign rally today in South Vermillion High School in Clinton. (Submitted photo/Kal Ellis) / (Click for larger image)


President Bill Clinton stops in Terre Haute Friday morning to survey fire damage at the Hoosiers for Hillary campaign office enroute to Clinton, Ind., for a campaign rally today in South Vermillion High School. (Submitted photo/Brenda Bonine) / (Click for larger image)


President Bill Clinton stops in Terre Haute Friday morning to survey fire damage at the Hoosiers for Hillary campaign office enroute to Clinton, Ind., for a campaign rally today in South Vermillion High School. (Submitted photo/Brenda Bonine) / (Click for larger image)


President Bill Clinton stops in Terre Haute Friday morning to survey fire damage at the Hoosiers for Hillary campaign office. He spoke to Tribune-Star reporter Brian Boyce (foreground, right) and other media before traveling to Clinton for a campaign rally today in South Vermillion High School. (Submitted photo/Kevin Sumansky) None/ (Click for larger image)


Terre Haute attorney Mike Ellis gets an autograph from former President Bill Clinton as Terre Haute firefighter Norm Loudermilk (far right) looks on. Clinton stopped this morning in Terre Haute to survey damage from a fire at the Hoosiers for Hillary campaign office on Third Street. (Submitted photo/Kal Ellis) None/ (Click for larger image)



Television Tonight

monster
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Terre Haute News Morning Headlines

Terre Haute ClickLocal

Terre Haute Tribune-Star Newspaper Dial-A-Pro

Terre Haute Tribune-Star Newspaper Live in the Clubs

Terre Haute News on Twitter

Today's Featured Jobs

Janitors/Cleaners
JANITORS/
CLEANERS
for early morning
cleaning of Terre
Haute retail location.
Includes car
...>MORE

Quality Assurance Manager
Company in the
Wholesale Food In-
dustry seeking to fill
the position of Qual-
ity Assurance Man-<
...>MORE

HVAC Service Techs
HVAC Service Techs
Now hiring
Paitson Bros Htg & AC
1200 Wabash, TH

...>MORE

See all ads

Today's Featured Autos

03 Harley Fatboy
Great Christmas
Toy 03 Harley
Davidson Fat Boy
100th Anniversary
Edition 413 mi. (812)
877
...>MORE

84 F150
84 F150, 6 cyl., Stick
shift, First $650
Drives it home
(812)877-3790

...>MORE

John Deere 4020
John Deere 4020
w/158 Loader, 7ft
Bucket w/hay spear
& pallet forks,
$14,500 939-2395
...>MORE

See all ads

Today's Featured Homes

1-3 Bdrm apts
Summer or fall
1-3 bdrm. Sign 9 mo
lease get last
months rent free
234-4884

...>MORE

3 bdrm Executive Home East
...>MORE

2321 N 14th
GREAT HOME 2321
N 14th $600 + dep 3
bdrm gar. 236-9319

...>MORE

See all ads

Today's Cool Stuff

Male Boxer pup
male boxer pup,
11 weeks old. $250.
(812)230-8842

...>MORE

Pelican Fishing boat
Great gift!
pelican fishing
boat, L-10’, B. 61” 37#
trolling motor & bat-
tery, 2 swivel seats, ...>MORE

Air Hockey Table
Brand new Air
Hockey table, Per-
fect Cond. $250
(812)299-9333

...>MORE

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2008. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index