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.
Local & Bistate
Related Photos
Related Links
Discussion
BREAKING UPDATE/with photos: President Clinton views damage at burned campaign office
Story updated 12:10 p.m.
- Local & Bistate
-
-
Toyota to increase Highlander output in Indiana
Toyota will increase production of the Highlander mid-size SUV in late 2013 at the company’s Princeton, Indiana plant. Hybrid and export versions will be included. The project is expected to create about 400 new jobs at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana Inc.
-
Friends of Ernie Pyle takes ownership, renames Dana museum
The western Indiana home in which renowned Hoosier journalist Ernie Pyle was born, and an adjacent museum dedicated to preserving his legacy as a World War II correspondent, have a new owner.
-
Spreading Goodwill
Goodwill Industries Inc. on Tuesday opened its third Terre Haute store.
-
Feds sending money to Feather Creek
Clinton residents have reason to celebrate.
Federal officials have granted more than $800,000 toward a $1.2 million project of widening and deepening Feather Creek, which has been a flooding problem in the city since the Great Depression. Work could begin in spring 2013. -
City to clean up Toney site
A contaminated petroleum site at the northwestern edge of Indiana State University’s campus will be transferred to the city of Terre Haute to remove the property from a pending sale.
-
Bennett: Terre Haute ‘moving in the right direction’
After four years of shrinking budgets and a slow economy, Terre Haute is “moving in the right direction,” Mayor Duke Bennett said Tuesday morning in his first “State of the City” address since being re-elected by Terre Haute voters in November.
Difficult financial and political battles are largely in the past, he said, and now the city can start moving forward in ways not possible in the past four years. -
Terre Haute group locates missing caver
An Iraq war veteran and caving enthusiast took his own life about half a mile from where he left his car on a rural road but more than four months passed before four young spelunkers exploring where they weren’t allowed found him deep inside a treacherous cave, Indiana conservation officers said Tuesday.
-
Schools celebrate rising graduation rates as ‘team effort’
For the fourth year in a row, Vigo County School Corp. graduation rates have topped the state average, school district officials said during a news conference Tuesday.
-
Arrested officer already on administrative leave
A summons to appear in Vigo Superior Court 1 has been issued to the former police chief of West Terre Haute after a theft case filed Monday was transferred from a different court.
-
Parade to honor Punter for N.Y. Giants
A parade has been scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Friday to honor Terre Haute native Steve Weatherford, a punter with the Super Bowl champion New York Giants.
-
DNA match leads to arrest in summer burglary
A recent DNA match in an Indiana database has led to the arrest of a burglary suspect by the Indiana State Police at Putnamville.
-
Authorities still looking into Monday shooting of teen
Investigation continues into a shooting Monday in the 600 block of Water Street, which is near the Wabash River on the city’s west side.
-
General Assembly ready to tackle legislative bottleneck
After a timeout to accommodate out-of-town Super Bowl visitors, the Indiana General Assembly is back in session to tackle legislation that had been bottlenecked by a contentious labor bill.
-
Shakeout helps prepare for earthquake
Drop. Cover. Hold on! Those are the directives for the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut, a multi-state earthquake drill that happened Tuesday morning.
-
Bolte Taylor exhibit will feature 5-foot-tall brains
An Indiana brain scientist whose memoir about her recovery from a stroke became a best-seller has dreamed up an exhibit featuring giant brains that will be mounted around Bloomington this spring.
-
Feather Creek project gets green light from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Federal officials have granted the funding needed to widen Feather Creek in Clinton.
-
Lost Creek trustee exploring possibility of providing computer lab for residents
A mobile computer lab has come to the Lost Creek Township Trustee’s Office to assist the public in job searches and applying for assistance programs.
-
Vigo schools see grad rate rise
The Vigo County School Corp. 2011 graduation rate improved nearly 4 percentage points and surpassed the state graduation rate, according to information from the state Department of Education.
-
Among Super Bowl ads, the stars were the cars
Lots of dogs and babies appeared in commercial advertisements for Super Bowl XLVI, but game-day ads also increasingly are pointing to social media handles, such as Twitter and Facebook.
-
Host city hopes its experience is a game winner
If praise and adulation could put points on the scoreboard, then Indianapolis had a blowout victory hosting its first Super Bowl.
-
Local news briefly: Feb. 7, 2012
• Woman faces arson charge
• Mother jailed on abuse charge
• New trial date for suspect
• Woman's arson trial July 10
• Child pornography trial set
-
West Terre Haute officer arrested on theft charges
A West Terre Haute police officer is facing allegations of misusing his department-issued gasoline credit card.
-
Teen hospitalized after shooting
The Terre Haute Police Department reported late Monday that a 16-year-old Terre Haute youth was flown via helicopter ambulance to an Indianapolis hospital after an accidental shooting. The extent of the youth’s injuries were not available late Monday night.
-
Rush to hospital leads to wreck on I-70
A motorist reportedly speeding to get to an Indianapolis hospital ended up getting medical treatment himself after a Monday morning crash on Interstate 70 near the 37-mile marker.
-
Fog a factor in West Terre Haute accident
Heavy fog contributed to a two-vehicle accident involving a West Terre Haute patrolman at 7:21 a.m. Monday.
-
BREAKING NEWS: West Terre Haute police officer arrested
A West Terre Haute police officer is facing allegations of felony theft.
-
SUPER BOWL XLVI: Super to the very end
A wild and record-setting Super Bowl week was capped Sunday with the New York Giants winning their fourth title game. But the host city of Indianapolis was a winner as well.
-
SUPER BOWL XLVI: Businesses see more carry out than carrying on during big game
Home delivery action was hotter than wing sauce Sunday afternoon, as football fans dipped in for the big game.
-
SUPER BOWL XLVI: Airport traffic increases as game day arrives
It isn’t every Sunday afternoon that jets line the runway at the Terre Haute International Airport, but many in town wouldn’t mind if they did.
-
SUPER BOWL XLVI: Game helps church connection with its community
Inside Maryland Community Church Sunday evening, it seemed downright un-patriotic to pray for anyone but the Giants.
- More Local & Bistate Headlines
-
Toyota to increase Highlander output in Indiana
Former Komen Exec Defends Funding Cut
Worker Tells 911: Powell 'exploded the House'
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
Triple Win: Santorum Takes Minn., Mo., Colo.
Jury Selection for Ex-UVa Athlete Enters 2nd Day
Eastwood in Super Bowl Ad 'Compassionate'
Calif. Gay Marriage Ban Ruled Unconstitutional
Raw Video: Giants Celebrate Another Super Bowl
Eastwood in Super Bowl Ad 'Compassionate'
Cab Driver Helps Wis. Family Escape House Fire
Greek Leaders Seek Deal As Bankruptcy Looms
No Rape Charges Against Son of NYPD Commissioner
Injured Marine Inspired by Homecoming
Romney Congratulates Santorum, Focuses on Obama
Bernanke: Recovery Depends on Consumer Spending
And the Winner for Best Super Bowl Ad Is...
Foreclosures Down 34 Percent in 2011
Egypt's Ruling Generals Play Risky Game With US
Parade for the New York Giants Super Bowl Champs
Stranded Fishermen Rescued From Bay of Green Bay
The NY Giants Defend Gisele
Mo. Teen Gets Life Sentence for Killing Girl, 9
Beyonce Is Sexy in Sequins
Helmet Camera Captures Calif. Fire Rescue
Model's Shocking 20-Inch Waist
Better than Tebowing, it's Bradying - 2/7
Maria Menounos in Giants Bikini After Losing Bet
Zip-Lining Man Slams Into Tree
TLC's 'Strangest Addictions Yet'?
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Snooki Admits She's Bisexual
Katharine McPhee Strips Down
Raw Video: 15 Lb. Baby Born in China
Ellen DeGeneres Slams One Million Moms
Vending Machine Dispenses 'Morning-After' Pill
Rihanna in Super Sheer Bodysuit
Entire staff removed at L.A. elementary school
Exclusive: Giants Players Talk About Excitement Around 2012 Super Bowl Victory Parade
