Gifts processed in this system are not tax deductible, but are predominately used to help meet the local financial requirements needed to receive national matching-grant funds. Aliases: None Known -- Upgrade the crew-accountability system so commanders have a better idea where individual firefighters are. RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) Martin Pang is anxious to return to Seattle to see his family and face accusations that he started the fire that killed four firefighters, his Brazilian lawyer said. A third fine, for $2,400, was for not training two firefighters on breathing equipment used at the fire. The Fire Department was cited for two ``serious, willful'' violations, each of which drew a maximum penalty of $50,000, for failing to start a prompt search for Johnson and for not keeping proper track of individual crew members. 2 0 obj There may be more documents related to this site. When the first truck arrived, the fire appeared to be controllable. A new report on the Blackstock lumber company fire in 1989 in which a Seattle firefighter died indicates the blaze may have been set by transients and apparently was not a high-tech arson fire. Having identified the accelerant used in the blazes, Fowler then put forward some other theories about the man he now was calling the King of Arsonists. He believed that the mastermind behind the arsons might be a structural engineer or at least someone with knowledge of building design, because he argued that the arsonist knew exactly how much fuel he needed to bring each building down without leaving any wasted accelerant behind. A newspaper reported the building had been under surveillance after the company occupying the structure received arson threats. You can contact the company by phone at (206) 284-1313. Obviously, it is not safe to be in the Fire Department.''. Bill became lost and disoriented in the fire but was eventually able to escape. For a start, Steve Carman believes that the Carpet Exchange Warehouse fire was deliberately set and that some HTA might have been used there, possibly thermite. At first, fire investigators assumed that the fire had been started accidentally by a vagrant that was trying to keep warm. YEARS IN BUSINESS (206) 284-1313. Website. endobj The building was old, featured a great deal of wood construction and contained a number of fuels, such as ammonia and other refrigerants, Taylor said. [citation needed] The first failure was when Johnson left his nozzle without telling his partner where he was going. A vacated extension of West Mercer Street cuts across the northern half of the property. Pang is aware that a team of federal agents and an [Read More], Plea may be in works for Pang SEATTLE -- A plea agreement may be in the works for Martin Pang, accused of setting a 1995 warehouse blaze in which four Seattle firefighters died, including James T. Brown, 25, of Port Orchard. Witnesses also reported seeing pyrotechnics similar to fireworks, another sign of an HTA blaze. He also said there was no motive to burn the building intentionally. "They can match your existing victorian molding for less than you might think." Website Directions More Info. With the help of a group of chemists, the Fowler team identified a handful of possible candidates for the mystery fuel. Die MHI NATURSTEIN & BAUSTOFFSERVICE GMBH mit Sitz in Wchtersbach (Main-Kinzig-Kreis) ist eine 100%-ige Tochter d Herzlich Willkommen bei Ihrem Hber Baufachhandel The third mistake was when Battalion Chief Hargrove, commanding the front of the building, misread the helmet number. Wednesday, it appealed the latest citations to Labor and Industries, saying its findings were based largely on investigators' misunderstanding of firefighting policies and procedures. The property is currently temporary construction storage with no buildings noticeable, but the property is covered with large concrete structures presumably being stored but obscuring visibility. Taylor said communications were fine at Thursday night's fire. In 1993, Paul Keller was arrested for several arson fires in Seattle. YEARS IN BUSINESS. Get Blackstock Lumber Co. Inc reviews, rating, hours, phone number, directions and more. The fire was so intense that it melted concrete and warped steel beams. However, the fire soon spread to other parts of the lumberyard and became one of the biggest fires in recent Seattle history. Interest in the "King of Arsonists" began after the Blackstock Lumber Company fire of September 9, 1989. A radio station this morning reported that bodies of the four were found in the building, but that was not confirmed by the Associated Press. Fasteners-Industrial, However, authorities have yet to close all of the cases allegedly linked to the "King of Arsonists". (Article in Seattle Times) The re-investigation came up with another possible reason that the fire might have looked suspicious: a 440-volt electrical line was still connected to a live power panel as the fire raged, and could have been the source of sparks and enormous heat. 5 customer reviews of Blackstock Lumber Co.. One of the best Furniture Stores, Retail business at 1039 Elliott Ave W, Seattle WA, 98119 United States. OPEN NOW . Has there ever been a podcast done on this? The last Seattle firefighter killed in the line of duty was Matthew Johnson. A recent study by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms concludes that many fires believed to have been started by high-temperature accelerants, such as rocket fuel, were not set with space-age flammables, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported Wednesday in a copyright story. Rather, he hired or persuaded others to set the fires using his precise instructions. Lumber Lumber-Wholesale Home Improvements (1) BBB Rating: A+. Investigators also found that a 440-volt electrical line was still linked to a power panel and may have been the source of sparks. SOURCES: National Fire Protection Association. The Blackstock's house, barns, and outbuildings were log-built which provided unchinked openings through which the men could fire. The van will be staffed by three people who will monitor radio and other firefighting communications. Unknown" said he was in the building preparing for a practice session when he discovered the fire. Recently, investigators have found new information, including the possibility that a quantity of lumber was stored in the building and may have helped to boost the temperature of the fire. The new report by the Seattle Fire Department concludes the Blackstock fire may have been accidentally set by transients, the P-I reported. A Hart-Crowser Phase I Environmental Assessment (1989) identified previous occupants of the property including the Seattle Lumber Company (1910's to 1930's . One suspect was seen driving a late-model Mercedes away from the lumber yard just before the fire started, and the other was seen walking away from the fire paying no attention to the blaze just as a crowd started forming. Spectis Moulders Inc. offers fire retardant materials, Get reviews, hours, directions, coupons and more for Blackstock Lumber Co Inc at 1039 Elliott Ave W, Seattle, WA 98119. Blackstock Lumber occupied a portion of the south side of the property, (south of West Mercer Street). Website. He told KING-TV he called 911. It was never concluded if the fire was accidental or arson. See how Ashby Lumber saves significant hours per week, per employee using Handle, How CESG uses Handle to protect their credit and project payments, Friedmans transformed their credit processes by eliminating heavy manual work with Handle, Mitigating Credit Risks During and After Covid-19. endobj "Well I came down here and saw smoke, went in and tried to grab a few things, got my guitars and it was apparent the building was definitely on fire," said Matthew Fox. The two firefighters also inadvertently used the wrong radio channel to call for help while lost in the vacant warehouse. 1039 Elliott Ave W. Seattle, WA 98119. Darmstadt lost between 12,500 and 13,500 inhabitants during World War II. "That new information came to light and they re-evaluated their findings," Taylor said. Coming Soon. in Washington 98109, the location GPS coordinates are: 47.6062095 (latitude), -122.3320708 (longitude). The state said we had no accountability system, and we have one.''. Meredith leaves to find help, is disoriented. The report reasons that it is imprudent to send firefighters inside vacant buildings, since they usually aren't worth much and there's little risk that someone is inside. -- Enhance training to emphasize the team-and-partner approach to fighting fires. EVENTS AT THE SEPT. 9, 1989, BLACKSTOCK FIRE. It generated temperatures between 5000 and 7000 degrees, three times hotter than a normal fire. 110. The most likely of these was tested at an abandoned shopping center in Puyallup, Washington. Durch unsere Erfahrungen in Sachen Umbau, Ausbau & Sanierung knnen wir I Seit ber 10 Jahren sind wir in den Bereichen Service rund ums Haus ttig. The former Blackstock Lumber Company building previously occupied the central portion of the property, with a railroad spur located along the west side of the building footprint. Bravo to you for this excellent write up. Not only did Carman find that most of those fires were likely not HTA arsons at all, he revealed some things about the Puyallup test fire that Fowler and his team had kept quiet for a long time. Blackstock Lumber Co Inc is located in Seattle, WA. Blackstock Lumber Co Inc is categorized under Siding Materials (SIC code 5211). So the King of Arsonists case wasn't the first time Fowler had been off base in claiming arson where there was none. 6 0 obj The study concludes Blackstock was probably not an HTA fire, the P-I reported. Thirty-two-year-old Matt Johnson and his partner Bill Meredith were two of the first fire fighters inside the building. Hargrove misidentifies helmet number on firefighter helping Meredith, thinks they are partners and jots down that they are out of the building safely. The report said Johnson and Meredith separated in the smoke-filled building, contrary to both department and national safety standards. Meredith said he thinks the NFPA report unfairly criticizes Johnson, who is ``not here to respond. Links: Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! Interest in the King of Arsonists began after the Blackstock Lumber Company fire of September 9, 1989. However, the fire soon spread to other parts of the lumberyard and became one of the biggest fires in recent Seattle history. The men were identified after tips came in regarding the sketches of possible suspects in the case. Deputy Chief Rod Bower was the first commander on the scene and, from a front corner of the building, initiated the strategies. At first, officials believed that the fire was caused by a vagrant setting a small fire to keep warm. >> King of Arsonists sounds pretty badass, but Emperor of Arsonists has a better ring to it. Building Materials, View supplier info & more! Asked during a press conference yesterday whether he felt the state and national reports essentially came to the same conclusions, Chief Harris said: ``I don't feel they were similar. Hargrove's misidentification becomes important because it occurred at a time when firefighters might still have been able to enter the building. But the bigger question revolves around Dennis Fowler and his King of Arsonists theory. Although the Seattle Fire Department kept the fuel and its formula secret, it did state that the fuel was a compound of several commonly-available ingredients, but (in the words of the Unsolved Mysteries episode) only an expert with sufficient knowledge of chemistry would be able to combine them. Fowler first encountered the arsonist in 1984 when Seattle's Carpet Exchange Warehouse burned down in less than twenty minutes. SEATTLE The Blackstock lumber yard at 1039 Elliott Ave. W. has sold for $7.5 million, according to King County records. A press conference was scheduled for 10 a.m. today. Situated on a sharp hill, they commanded a 50 acre pasture that sloped down to a shallow stream in the farm fields. It wasnt a good look for the arson investigation team. For 15 to 25 minutes, firefighters had a chance to pull Lt. Matthew Johnson from the burning Blackstock Lumber Co. warehouse last fall, but missed the opportunity. % His assessment was based on his belief that the fire was confined to a large shed he could see on a rear corner. 4 0 obj The missing firefighters were not identified. At about 10:25 p.m., the report says, ``a huge ball of blue flames exploded out of the door'' from the area where Johnson later was found dead. This contaminant list was based on our best information at the time it was entered. The King allegedly used homemade accelerants to make his fires burn much hotter than a typical building fireup to an astonishing 7000 degrees Fahrenheit. A, C, D, E, F and G. Meredith staggers from building, incoherent. Extra Notes: This case first aired on the September 30, 1992 episode. The fire departments arson squad chief, Capt. Janitors Equipment & Supplies, Noch n Houzz uses cookies and similar technologies to personalise my experience, serve me relevant content, and improve Houzz products and services. And Carman found that, of the HTA arsons that were likely deliberately set, some were fires set with standard accelerants which burned hotter because of certain materials stored at the site of the fire, while other possible HTA fires had any one of a number of possible HTA accelerants involved. YEARS IN BUSINESS (206) 284-1313. Was im Jahre 2002 mit Ausbesserungs- un Spanndecken und Zubehr Online-Shop fr Privat- und Geschftskunden. The fire helped narrow down the types of fuel that the arsonist used. {xO$S]%&7g>r=g8` Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. Finally, a 440-volt electrical line still connected to a live power panel is believed to have helped spread the fire and cause sparks and "pyrotechnics" seen by witnesses. So einfach gehts nur mit Spanndo. Thats still hotter than a normal firebut then the Puyallup fire was set with 462 pounds of accelerant according to Carman. The case was settled in 1992 for $750,000. It's clear from the NFPA report that there was a lack of communication from commanders at the rear, who could see large parts of the building in flames. Search for other Lumber in Seattle on The Real Yellow Pages. Relatives of the firefighters [Read More], SEATTLE (AP) Had firefighters checked a burning warehouse more thoroughly, they would have known where the flames were centered before four men died, an internal report has concluded. Blackstock Lumber Co. Inc at 1039 Elliott Ave W, Seattle, WA 98119. Read through customer reviews, check out their past projects and then request a quote from the best lumber and building supplies near you. He also determined that many of the fires that were believed to have been caused by HTAs were not caused by them; instead, either standard accelerants were used or the fires were accidents. Periodic reviews are required when institutional controls are required at a site. un materiale largamente utilizzato Das Unternehmen Holz in Haus und Garten wurde im Jahr 2009 gegrndet. Unfortunately for Fowler and his team, cracks were already starting to appear in the foundation of their argument. To obtain documents not available electronically, you will need to make a. 10 0 obj After trying unsuccessfully to find their way out, the officer began calling for help on his portable radio. It was basically an abandoned shell of a building, he said. /F1.0 8 0 R >> >> -- Improve the condition of vacant buildings. One of them, a 33-year-old woman, was treated for minor burns and released. I'm even willing to believe that Fowler himself genuinely did think there was a dastardly King of Arsonists roaming North America with his powerful mystery substance. The Humane Society occupied the area north of West Mercer Street. Ecology conducts reviews to make sure the controls remain effective and the cleanup still protects human health and the environment. endobj The Blackstock Lumber Co. fire that killed firefighter Lt. Matthew Johnson and injured another in September 1989, was not arson after all, the Seattle Fire Department says. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. NOTICE We have updated our Online Stock Mouldings Catalog as well as our Special Order Mouldings Catalog! One problem came in the form of a man named Paul Keller. Dever was released from jail and eventually sued Fowler for $1.5 million in damages (he lost the first case but appealed, I can't find the result of that appeal though). While the crowds were looking at the fire in progress, the man was apparently walking away from the area, paying no attention to the large fire nearby. I saw the King of Arsonists segment the other day and thought I'd write about it. Rose shortly after the fire said: ``The operation of exterior (fire hose) lines at the south and west side of the building could have . On March 1, the state Department of Labor and Industries announced that it was citing and fining the Seattle department $102,400 in connection with the Sept. 9 Blackstock fire. A new report that includes a review of 25 fires thought to be HTA fires is being prepared by Steve Carman, a division agent with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. One man was from Illinois and had a criminal history that included being hired as a professional arsonist. The fire burned the lumber warehouse to the ground and was responsible for the death of a Seattle firefighter, 32-year-old Matt Johnson. Unsolved Mysteries Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. Four other firefighters suffered minor burns and a fifth sustained a minor neck injury. The fire burned the lumber warehouse to the ground and was responsible for the death of a Seattle firefighter, 32-year-old Matt Johnson. << /Type /Page /Parent 3 0 R /Resources 6 0 R /Contents 4 0 R /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] A legit old school lumber yard with an in-house #millwork shop, #Blackstock. stream Originally, he was thought to be the arsonist. In the end, we may not be able to come up with an absolute determination, he said. Copyright 2023, The Spokesman-Review | Community Guidelines | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy, Spokane Valley Fire roundup: Multiple engines, water tenders fight rural home blaze in Otis Orchards, Downtown Spokane stadium groundbreaking set for Tuesday , Pandemic project: Dental lab owner Robert Carnell paints pop art abstracts of celebrities , Gardening: Bird feeders safe to hang this winter after salmonella epidemic in 2020 , Pandemic projects: Retired Freeman High School teacher self-publishes Welsh mystery series , State 4A/3A boys: No. Floor Materials, The case was settled in 1992 for $750,000. The second was when the firefighter who found Meredith misidentified the crew to which he belonged and didn't question where the rest of the crew was. He was driving along the road of the lumberyard when he noticed a 1970s or 1980s Mercedes coming out of a parking lot at the lumberyard. The city fire department set up a tracking system for firefighters after the Blackstock fire. Lumber and chemicals stored at the facility then caused the fire to reach such high temperatures. [1] 66,000 of the 110,000 inhabitants of Darmstadt at the time became homeless. Investigators believe that the man was the arsonist and that he had set the fire and waited until crowds gathered before he walked away from the scene. BLACKSTOCK LUMBER CO INC. Reman Plant Start Date: 11:00 AM | Thursday - June 8 End Date: 11:00 AM | Thursday - June 8 Preview 11:00 AM | Thursday, June 8 Location: 1039 Elliott Ave. W., Seattle WA 98119 Closing Company After 100 Years. (Carman's entire report can be found on PDF here.). There simply wasnt any evidence of someone roaming the country with a mystery fuel HTA accelerant setting off fires. This unidentified arsonist has been connected to over twenty fires in and around Seattle. These restrictions keep the contamination contained and keep people from being exposed to the contamination. 1 Mt. Keller continued to set over 100 fires in the Seattle area before he was caught the following year. I can reject non-essential cookies by clicking Manage Preferences. The lack of oxygen and intense heat left Matt unable to move. Ray Risdon, said he ordered the new investigation of the fire. Exterior search of building begins. The NFPA report said the Blackstock fire was similar to a 1987 abandoned building fire in Detroit. Asking the obvious question here: Has Fowler ever been a suspect in these arson cases? xMHa$T&R+SeL b}wg-E"u.VDNC:DuE^";cT03y| URcE4`vztLUF\)s:k-iYj6|vP4*wd>,y4!7CN-lCTS3q";-E#+c> v=S79@`mvUl5`P=Gj)kP*}6 ~^/~.~a2 There wasnt any insurance on the building, water had been turned off. the Seattle Fire Department after its first incident in January 1984. That, some firefighters said, was tantamount to the firefighters on the outside pushing the fire onto Johnson and Meredith. Fowler and his team theorized that the fires were started with a new and unknown type of fuel: a volatile accelerant that burned between 5000 and 7000 degrees Fahrenheit but left no measurable traces behind. The department had requested the review by the association. A series of tests were done with various types of fuels in order to determine which one the arsonist used. The city fire department set up a tracking system for firefighters after the Blackstock fire. However, the fires that he set usually used gasoline and were not as sophisticated as the ones allegedly set by the arsonist. Blackstock Lumber Co Inc. Lumber Plywood & Veneers. Details: The Seattle Police Department is searching for the person or persons who may have set fire to the lumberyard Blackstock Lumber Company in Seattle on September 9, 1989. It appears, then, that there is ample evidence that The King of Arsonists was really just a ghost. Three of the injured firefighters had been near the missing crew. YEARS WITH (206) 455-8341. It may not reflect current conditions at the site. The Blackstock Lumber fire occurred around 10pm; twenty fire trucks responded to the four-alarm blaze. Fowler believes that the arsonist actually hires other people to set the fires. Sounds interesting. Blackstock Lumber Co Inc. Lumber Plywood & Veneers. And I'm a big fan of Unsolved Mysteries and I've wanted to write about some of the more interesting segments for a while. Get breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens. In the episode, the King of Arsonists was called the most dangerous and clever arsonist in American history. The Seattle Lumber Experts Seattle Location (206) 623-5010 1919 4th Avenue SouthSeattle, WA98134 Products & Materials | Millwork, Shop Builders : Roofing, Paving and construction services. At first, officials believed that the fire was caused by a vagrant setting a small fire to keep warm. Spokane blows out 10th-seeded Bellevue in physical game; Gonzaga Prep falls to Olympia, Spokane Valley tax preparer has misled clients that he is an attorney, Washington Attorney General's Office says, 'I'm just trying to find a spot here': Former Gonzaga star Rui Hachimura adjusts to life as a Los Angeles Laker, Movie Review: 'Jesus Revolution' a sanitized, scattered story about religious movement. There was at least an awareness but I'm not sure to what extent. . When fire crews arrived Wednesday night, the warehouse at the lumber yard near the palm tree was fully engulfed, Bell said. Harris wants to work with the city to broaden existing codes to ensure that vacant buildings are maintained in safe condition. Hargrove has Meredith taken to medics, then hospital. CUTLINE: CRAIG FUJII / SEATTLE TIMES: INVESTIGATORS SEARCH THE SCENE OF THE BLACKSTOCK FIRE IN SEPTEMBER 1989. "Everything was going well, our safety procedures, everything was fine and then the floor collapses," she said. The fire broke out in a two-level warehouse that housed a frozen food processing operation, a bakery, and Mary Pang's Chinese Cooking School at Maynard Avenue South and Dearborn Street, just east of the Kingdome. Fowler retired in 1992, just before the Unsolved Mysteries episode aired, and he passed away in 2016. Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers, Outdoor Lighting & Audio/Visual Specialists, Schweizer ideen-Werkstatt Inh,. 5 Group of the Royal Air Force (RAF) bombed the city. Geschftsinhaber ist Tobias Bienefeld, geler Wir sind Ihr kompetenter Baustoff-Fachhandel im Rhein-Main Gebiet. In 1983 a church in Seattle burned down, killing a parishioner. All Farrar would say about the surveillance was, "agencies were involved. The fuel, which the Seattle Fire Department has kept secret, was a mixture of several common ingredients that were readily available. In doing more research on Fowler I found another interesting case. Iris Schweizer. stream The Seattle Lumber Experts Seattle Location (206) 623-5010 1919 4th Avenue SouthSeattle, WA98134 Products & Materials | Millwork, Shop Builders : Roofing, Paving and construction services. The Blackstock Lumber fire occurred at approximately 10 pm on September 9th, 1989. Blackstock Lumber - Underground Storage Tank Closure Observation and Documentation, Blackstock Lumber - Quarterly Groundwater Monitoring Status Report, Blackstock Lumber - Remedial Environmental Assessment, Blackstock Lumber - NW3170 - Termination Letter, Blackstock Lumber - NW3170 - Request for Status Letter, Blackstock Lumber - NW3170 - NW3170 - Agreement and acceptance letter, Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Diesel, Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Other, Copyright Washington State Department of Ecology, Restrict All Ground Water Extraction/Well Installation. An interior search began about 11:50, shortly after the fire was considered under control. A Hart-Crowser Phase I Environmental Assessment (1989) identified previous occupants of the property including the Seattle Lumber Company (1910s to 1930s), Blackstock Lumber (1930s to 1980s), and the Humane Society (1930s to 1970s). He alsosomewhat surprisinglyclaimed that the King did not set the fires himself. Jim Blackstock, co-owner of the lumber company, said he was visited about three months ago by an ATF agent who indicated officials no longer believed the fire was arson. Four firefighters were taken to Harborview Medical Center with neck, ear, face and arm burns, hospital spokeswoman Pam Love said. I only ever hear about Puyallup, WA in relation to true crime stories. Subsequently, the Department embarked on an fervent attempt to A witness, Charles A. Berkey, who lives nearby, described the 7:40 p.m. explosion as a "whomp" sound, rather than a loud blast. Asked how effective those standards were in view of the fact that Johnson was the second firefighter to have died at a blaze in two years, Harris said: ``It appears it has not worked here in the Seattle Fire Department.''. xWN@WeaY(Rk$%J}xs{{rm%5"v\{X3U$(Ypk8ASSNpoAqN Industry: Lumber products Printer Friendly View Address: 1039 Elliott Ave W Seattle, WA, 98119-3609 United States In retrospect some of his findings seem ludicrouseven fires started by rocket fuel dont reach 7000 degrees, for exampleor at best a stretch (his claim that the arsonist hired someone else to set the fires never appeared to have any evidentiary basis). 8rdWT'eL~.u"A=9]>313X3-$e}u,gmg664$EzL*LZ_j_]Xy[?Xs N/]|msk_WfA2)oz-di2|mj|5ej8eE7[Q|IM%xf)|6\ k`. Lumber, Start Your Free Trial *Contacts and Principals counts are estimates and may differ from the actual number of contacts available in D&B Hoovers. An internal report by Deputy Chief S.E. See 1 tip from 27 visitors to Blackstock Lumber. 46:p)gLFJ>1n~@Bkxqm/x5buD0}ei(',ueQ!_+j So while Fowler and his team were chasing the King, there was another serial arsonist setting dozens of fires in Seattle, some of which werent even originally identified as arsons. The cause of the fire was unknown. Behind the house the land pitched sharply to the fast-running Tyger River on the north and northeast. They identified at least 20 (some sources say 25) other fires which shared characteristics of the Blackstock and Carpet Exchange fires. The Blackstock Lumber Co. fire that killed firefighter Lt. Matthew Johnson and injured another in September 1989, was not arson after all, the Seattle Fire Department says. If youve never been involved in building a new Frankfurt home or doing a house renovation, youll be amazed at the variety of Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany building supplies and manufacturers that exist today. More than 100 city firefighters fought the five-alarm blaze, which was finally declared contained at 1 a.m. today, some six hours after it was reported.