Context Free Press

Fire Levels Pound Sportswear Plant

By Arthur Kettner
Context Free Press Writer

Pound, VA --- Smoke seen early this morning at this community's most extensive building complex expanded into a huge fire today, causing millions of dollars damage and a call by local authorities for greater oversight of fire safety code enforcement.

The fire was reported shortly after 1pm in the downtown area.

Three people suffering from smoke inhalation were evacuated safely in the early minutes of the blaze. Thick, black smoke wafted across downtown as firefighters protected neighboring buildings by dousing them with water.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Disappeared: Arabian Sea Oil Tanker

By Geneva Loveless
Context Free Press Writer

A storm in the Arabian Sea sunk a large Canadian ship early Sunday shortly after it left mayday signals heard by a international United Nations patrol vessel, officials said today.

Nearby ships responding to calls for rescue struggled to locate twenty missing crewmen from the sunk ship Victory, and other vessels joined the search late today. Many other sailors were picked up by other vessels in the area. "The rescued sailors are all in good condition. Seas have calmed and hope to pick up more sailors," an official who responded to press inquiries reported via satellite telephone.

Massive Fire Consumes St. Charles Historic Buildings

By Keith Ortiz
Context Free Press Writer

St. Charles, MN --- Smoke seen early this morning at this community's most extensive building complex expanded into a huge fire today, causing millions of dollars damage and a call by local authorities for greater oversight of fire safety code enforcement.

It was unclear when the first call arrived at the many departments brought in to fight the blaze.

Visitors from Japan touring the complex were evacuated safely in the early minutes of the blaze. Billowing smoke rose high into the air as firefighters protected neighboring buildings by dousing them with water.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Five Alarm Blaze Destroys Logan Storage Facility

By Patricia Postlewait
Context Free Press Writer

Logan, UT --- A huge fire broke out at this city's largest commercial building today, causing millions of dollars damage and a call by local authorities for greater oversight of fire codes.

Three Escape From Doland Federal Correctional Institution

By Kenneth Roberts
Context Free Press Writer

Doland, SD --- Three prisoners, including one man suspected of a series of crimes in Florida, broke out of police custody during a prison lockdown by overpowering a visitor and then fleeing, it is suspected, directly out the main entrance to the facility disguised as clowns, investigators announced today.

The visitor was treated for hyperventilation by paramedics but was otherwise unharmed.

Sheriff Mark Dunphy said the escapees were Andrew Cook, 22; Kevin Escobar, 27; and Timothy Beers, 22.

"Clearly we had a lapse here. We've got some work to do," Dunphy said. "Someone like Kevin Escobar is not the kind of person you want to have roaming the streets like this. I don't know why people do these idiotic breakouts when they've only got a little time left, and we would've let them out the front door with a handshake."

Three Escape From Wittenberg State Penitentiary

By Miguel Mahoney
Context Free Press Writer

Wittenberg, WI --- Three convicted criminals, including one man scheduled for release just two weeks later, broke out of police custody just before a planned facility inspection by digging a forty-five foot tunnel under a high-security wall and then making a getaway through an entrance recently created for delivery vans, an FBI investigator announced today.

Sheriff John Mcdonald said the escapees were John Jaeger, 25; William Vaughn, 30; and Mark Ries, 22.

"We've got a lot of leads. They're probably still in the area," Mcdonald said. "This could be a bad one. Mark Ries is not going to hesitate to harm people who get in his way. We're going to be following up on leads on all of these guys."

Four Escape From Hampton Police Holding Facility

By Jack Gaucin
Context Free Press Writer

Hampton, GA --- Four inmates, including a former police officer being held on suspicion of felony murder, made their way to freedom from police custody yesterday by breaking through a ceiling and an inner wall and then escaping, it is suspected, directly out the main entrance to the facility disguised as clowns, an FBI investigator announced today.

Sheriff Ryan Levingston said the escapees were Daniel Lam, 22; Jimmy Robinson, 26; Israel Tyner, 19; and Jose Holland, 28.

"We had escapes before, but nothing like this. We're getting good help from the FBI and other enforcement agencies," Levingston said. "Someone like Israel Tyner has killed before, and is clearly in an excited state after something like this happens. I don't know why some people break out when they don't have much time left. It's kind of stupid, isn't it?"

Four Escape From Kellerton State Prison

By James Vanderwal
Context Free Press Writer

Kellerton, IA --- Four convicted criminals escaped police custody just before a planned facility inspection by feigning an attack of food poisoning and then making a getaway, it is suspected, directly out the main entrance to the facility disguised as clowns, police spokesmen announced today.

Sheriff Clark Garcia identified the escapees as Bruce Lewis, 25; Louis Hunter, 22; Casey Czech, 27; and William Rice, 28.

"This is not going to happen again, you can bet on that," Garcia said. "A man like Bruce Lewis is not going to hesitate to harm people who get in his way. We're going to be following up on leads on all of these guys."

Three Escape From Garden City Federal Prison

By Michael Summers
Context Free Press Writer

Garden City, MO --- Three convicted felons forced their way out of police custody today by briefly taking one visitor hostage and then making a getaway in a prison van, an FBI investigator revealed today.

The commandeered vehicle used in the escape was found several hours later abandoned in a ditch.

The visitor was treated for hyperventilation by paramedics but was otherwise unharmed.

Sheriff Arthur Moseley said the escapees were Robert Strong, 25; Eugene Caldwell, 19; and Terry Boykin, 27.

"Lots of people are going to have explain how this could have happened," Moseley said. "Someone like Eugene Caldwell is a loser, no matter how you look at it. I don't know why some people break out when they don't have much time left. It's kind of stupid, isn't it?"

Three Escape From South Milwaukee Prison

By Ronald Lemire
Context Free Press Writer

South Milwaukee, WI --- Three convicted felons, including an ex-mayor of a Illinois town being held on relatively minor violations, made their way to freedom from police custody sometime in the early morning yesterday by hiding in a food service cart and then fleeing in a hijacked prison bus, investigators announced today.

The commandeered vehicle used in the escape was found several hours later abandoned in a ditch.

Sheriff Rodney Salazar said the escapees were Robin Tymeson, 25; Thomas Wilson, 37; and Mark Hartly, 24.

"We've got a lot of leads. They're probably still in the area," Salazar said. "This could be a bad one. Robin Tymeson is not going to hesitate to harm people who get in his way. Why do people do this? We'll capture them, mark my words."

Three Escape From Camden County Jail

By Lynda Labriola
Context Free Press Writer

Camden, AL --- Three convicted felons, including a failed dot-com executive being held on relatively minor violations, broke out of police custody immediately following a prison church service by using matches and cleaning fluid to ignite an oil fire and then fleeing through an entrance recently created for delivery vans, authorities announced today.

Other inmates and prison officials were treated for smoke inhalation.

Short of sustaining burns, smoke inhalation can be the greatest danger posed by a fire, a prison spokesperson said.

Sheriff George Williamson identified the escapees as James Deleon, 25; Joshua Olivares, 27; and Jason Tippens, 26.

"We had escapes before, but nothing like this. We're getting good help from the FBI and other enforcement agencies," Williamson said. "In this escape you've got a guy who can be real trouble. Jason Tippens cannot be trusted in any way, shape, or form. The evidence against two of these guys shows they're willing to risk other people's lives."

Four Escape From Frost State Prison

By Deborah Pickelsimer
Context Free Press Writer

Frost, TX --- Four inmates, including two recently convicted in a high profile murder case, escaped police custody immediately following a prison church service by hiding in a food service cart and then escaping in a prison van, an FBI investigator disclosed today.

The commandeered vehicle used in the escape was reported seen leaving the grounds at high speed and has not been located.

Sheriff Kenneth Davis identified the escapees as Lewis Weaver, 22; Phillip Scott, 22; Hubert Dagostino, 37; and Larry Evans, 28.

"Lots of people are going to have explain how this could have happened," Davis said. "Someone like Lewis Weaver really needs to be in jail, not mixing with the public. We're going to be following up on leads on all of these guys."