PARAGON DAILY TRIBUNE

CIRCULATION:
2,345,122 DAILY
2,903,859 SUNDAY

FRIDAY, April 29, 2005
COPYRIGHT 2005/THE TRIBUNE CO.
**/b/78 PAGES
DAILY $ .50
SOME AREAS HIGHER


BLAZE AT STARK INDUSTRIES KILLS 2
By PAUL ELLISON
TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

     FOUNDERS FALLS, PARAGON, - The smoke is still clearing from yesterday's fire in the Founders Falls offices of Stark Industries, one of the nation's leading research and development firms.
     The fire began at approximately 7:19 p.m. yesterday evening. Confined to the eleventh and twelfth floors of the main administrative office building, this Is the second major fire to strike the holdings of the Stark conglomerate.
     The fire was contained at 8:37, Sergeant John Price of the Paragon Fire Department said. Evidence points to arson.
      Two people trapped in the upper floors of the building were overcome by smoke inhalation and were rushed to Harvey Medical Center. Two others died trying to descend via the stairwell from the fourteenth floor, when they were struck and pinned by flaming debris.
     But the more interesting facet of the blaze was the appearance of a black-clad being, amidst the inferno. The ghostly figure descended from the upper levels of the building at about 7:45 p.m., carrying two vice-presidents of the company. After alighting safely on the ground, the black spectre acknowledged the firefighters and rose again into the burning building, to reappear moments later with two more people.
     This unknown hero is also credited with the rescue of Matthew Schwartz the company's senior vice-president, and Steven Stark, owner and managing director of the company. When questioned about the mysterious nature of the blaze, Stark answered wryly, "Just business as usual, I guess." He waved off further questions.
     The question remains, though, will this be the last fire to strike the conglomerate? It would be the fifth in a series of (CONTINUED ON P.19)

TODAY IN THE TRIB ...

NEWS

Gotti escapes prison, p.2

Lemcon Systems files Chapter 11, p.4

"Spectres and Hornets" - editorial, p.9

SPORTS

Da Bulls? review, p. 17

Coach Throws in the Towel, p.22

Half-court slamdunk in PSU away game, p.25

LIFESTYLE

The Bard is Back! Founders Falls Renaissance Faire, p.31

"Lethal III" Should Die Soon. Review, p.37

FOOD

Salt of the Earth -- cooking with worms, p.55

Apple Surprise, p.59

"Eat This!" Column, p.68

 

 

Back to Black Spectre's Home on the Web