Published: April 11, 2008 11:06 am         

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

Story updated 12:10 p.m.

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.