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http://www.greenbaynewschron.com/weekrvw/index.html
hobbit = one of the individuals possibly responsible for:
The week in review,
April 18, to April 24, 1999
Leicht's warehouse fire costliest in city history
Crews continued to pour water Thursday on the fire-ravaged
Leicht Transfer & Storage Co. warehouse, 128 Dousman St.,
while local state and federal investigators waited for a chance
to search for a cause.
Heavy rain Thursday morning cooled the fire, by gusting winds
contributed to flare-ups more than 36 hours after the
warehouse, packed with thousands of tons of paper products,
went up in flames.
At least 20 firefighters and seven units remained on the scene
through the day Thursday. Investigators from Green Bay's
police and fire departments were joined by agents from the
U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the
Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation.
Green Bay Fire Chief John Troeger would not comment on a
statement by a Leicht official that firefighters found a door that
had been broken down when they arrived Wednesday
morning.
The fire is expected to continue to smolder with occasional
flare-ups for days, if not weeks.
Leicht has indicated its intention to rebuild the warehouse.
Conflicting estimates place losses from the fire at $6 million to
$15 million. Either figure would make it the costliest in Green
Bay history.
http://www.greenbaynewschron.com/news/page2.html
Tuesday, April 27,1999
The cause of the fire at
Leicht's warehouse has been
determined to be arson.
(N-C Photo/ H. Marc Larson)
Leicht warehouse was torched
Fire officials will not discuss possible motives
or suspects
By Ed Huyck
The News-Chronicle
The fire that destroyed a downtown warehouse and
caused at least $6 million in damage was set
intentionally, officials said Monday.
"We have eliminated all possible accidental causes,"
Green Bay Fire Chief John Troeger said about the fire
that has smoldered since Wednesday at the Leicht
Transfer & Storage Co. warehouse at 128 Dousman
St.
Officials were tight-lipped about how the fire may have
started, a motive or possible suspects. Arson is a class
"B" felony with a maximum prison sentence of 40 years.
Some of the accidental causes rejected include heating
equipment, the electrical system and products within the
warehouse, said Rodney Pevytoe, a special agent with
the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation.
Leicht officials say it appears someone broke through a
door at the warehouse. But commenting now would be
premature, Pevytoe said. "We don't know if (the door)
was broken the night of the fire."
The fire was reported at 2:15 a.m. Wednesday. When
crews arrived at the scene, the warehouse was engulfed
in flames. An estimated 16,000 tons of wood pulp and
scrap paper burned.
The probe is being aided by the U.S. Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, which routinely helps
in the investigation of large fires. ATF agents
investigated throughout the weekend and could remain
on the scene for several more days, said Sonny Wilson,
the team supervisor with the ATF.
Green Bay fire crews have fought the fire since
Wednesday, with one crew remaining at the scene.
About $20,000 in overtime pay has been spent by the
department for the fire, Troeger said.
Having ATF agents at the scene has helped the
investigation, Troeger said. "If it had just been us, we
would have been overburdened," he said. People with
information and tips on the fire can call the Green Bay
Police Department tip line at 448-3236. There is also
an arson tip line that offers a $5,000 reward for
information at 1-800-362-3005.