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CNN Saturday Morning News
News Conference on Deadly Charleston Fire; New Appreciation for Firefighters; Operation Arrowhead Ripper; Hidden Hotel Fees; Attack of the Flying Fish
Aired June 23, 2007 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Tune in again for another edition of "House Call" where all your medical questions will be answered. Thanks for watching. I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Stay tuned now for more news on CNN.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody, from the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. I am T.J. Holmes.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, T.J.
HOLMES: Hello there. You are watching CNN SATURDAY MORNING and it is June 23rd.
NGUYEN: Yes, good morning, everybody, I'm Betty Nguyen.
We want to thank you for starting your day with us. We are following a developing story in Iraq this morning. Ten thousand U.S. and Iraqi troops pushing their way into an al Qaeda strong hold. It is one of the biggest offensives since the war began.
HOLMES: Also want to let you know that right now we're standing by for an important news conference, it looks like it about to just get under way there in Charleston, South Carolina. Investigators they are getting ready to give us an update on their investigation into that tragic fire that took the lives of nine firefighters. Let's go ahead and listen in for a moment.
EARL WOODHAM, ATF: We want to give you an update this morning. The way this is going to work is Mayor Joe Riley from the city of Charleston is going to open the news conference up and then the special agent in charge of the ATF National Response Team, the southeast region; Special Agent Ken Chisholm is going to give you the update. Immediately following, we will entertain several questions from you. Mr. Mayor.
MAYOR JOE RILEY, CHARLESTON, S.C.: Thank you very much. I would thank you for all of your hard work (INAUDIBLE) in the last five days. The night of the fire, the because of the magnitude of the fire and because of the loss of life, we immediately requested SLED and ATF to join us in a joint investigation of the fire. This is a normal procedure, not that there has been a fire like this, but it's normal procedure when there's a fire of substantial magnitude or when there's a loss of life.
SLED and ATF join in the investigation. They bring with them great resources and I want to thank the joint team that's been working so hard. I've been so very impressed with the agents. They came from different parts of the country. They came immediately on very short notice and so our community has had the benefit of experts working closely with us. The joint investigate has -- is a joint effort with the city of Charleston Police Department, the Charleston County sheriff's office, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and ATF and NRT, the National Response Team. And I thank them all so very much. In just a minute, I will call on Ken Chisolm, the special agent in charge.
Before I do that, I want to thank the community for the most wonderful outpouring of support yesterday for all who are alive in Charleston yesterday will be unforgettable. The service was so beautiful and appropriate. It gave our community the much need opportunity to mourn together, which is an essential part of a loss of life of loved ones, to come together to be able to express our grief and to begin the process of moving forward. These nine brave men who died just a short distance from here one has to move forward, they were moving forward people. They were firefighters and that is what we are going to be doing from yesterday forward to attend to our responsibilities in this community, but with more courage and a greater sense of duty and a greater sense of service than we ever have because we now and forever will have these nine role models for us and for this community.
The effort yesterday, which was obviously pulled together in a very brief period of time, was a result of a tremendous work on the part of a large group of people, and I will seek to enumerate them because I certainly will leave people and organizations out. But I've had so many people express to me their amazement that something so beautiful and so right and of such quality could have been pulled together in such a brief period of time. And, again, that's what those nine men would have been able to do and that's what we did for them and for their families.
Captain Hutchinson, a funeral was yesterday and there are six funerals today. We will continue the very serious process of being with families and loved ones as we proceed through this sad period in our community's history. And now I will present Ken Chisolm, the special agent in charge for ATF and the national response team -- Ken.
KEN CHISOLM, ATF SPECIAL AGENT: Good morning. My name is Ken Chisolm, I'm the special agent in charge of ATF's National Response Team. Due to the joint resources that were available here in Charleston, that would be from the police department, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the fire department, the sheriff's office, everyone working together, we've been able to very rapidly complete the on-scene portion of our investigation. Every fire investigation is a two-part investigation. We have the on-scene portion, which is what you see. Then we have the ongoing portion, which is a part that you won't see.
By the very nature of the ongoing portion of the investigation, it will be systematic, deliberate and tenacious and it will take time. The local ATF office, S.L.E.D., the police department, the fire department and sheriff's office will continue the investigation to determine the cause of the fire. Our on scene investigation has shown that the area of origin for the fire is the loading dock area. I would like to take a moment, as the Mayor did, to thank the media and the citizens of this area for the compassion that they've shown during this time period and I would like to thank everyone standing behind me for all of the hard work that their employees gave during this time.
Thank you.
WOODHAM: We have here with us today from S.L.E.D., representing S.L.E.D. is Special Agent Terris Green. Of course Chief Mulis from the Charleston Police Department, Sheriff Cannon from the Charleston County Sheriff's Office and of course, the mayor's staff. They will entertain some questions now, so be reasonable with your questions and you may direct them to anyone you wish.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You said you determined you were going to ...
HOLMES: We're going to skip out of this now, but the news we're hearing there from the special agent in charge, Ken Chisolm with the ATF is that in fact, they do believe after wrapping up their on-scene investigation that in fact this fire that killed those nine firefighters at that warehouse did start in the back in the loading dock of that building. There was certainly some talk about this is an area where people gathered and smoked and talked about whether or not a cigarette could have caused this whole blaze.
But in fact, we are hearing and confirming now from the ATF in their investigation on scene there that in fact, they believe this fire started at the loading dock in the back of that warehouse. He did say that the first portion, the on-scene portion is complete, but now the second phase is going to take place in this investigation and that one will take some time. So an ongoing investigation and we will continue to update you right here at CNN.
NGUYEN: Well that tragedy is now serving to bring a new appreciation for the daily dangers faced by the nation's firefighters and those dangers seem to be growing.
CNN's John Zarrella takes a closer look at why.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Nearly every time Ft. Lauderdale fire Lieutenant Billy White heads out, one thing is certain. The danger this second-generation firefighter faces will likely be greater than what his father had to deal with.
LT. BILLY WHITE, FORT LAUDERDALE FIRE RESCUE: In the back of your mind you're going, you know, I don't know what's in here. I don't know what I'm going to expect. I don't know what I'm going to find.
ZARRELLA: There are many reasons for the increased risk. Firefighters will tell you the South Carolina fire is an example of this. ASST. CHIEF STEVE MCINERNY, FORT LAUDERDALE FIRE RESCUE: Fires today are inherently more dangerous than ever before because they're burning hotter and faster.
ZARRELLA: The reason? Because so many of the products in our businesses and homes are made of plastics and resins, polyurethane and response time is faster than ever. Why?
MCINERNY: Cell phones. Everybody has a cell phone.
ZARRELLA: At the first sign of smoke, someone is dialing 911.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You see flames, right?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah. Somebody is calling right now, as well.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 911 --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've got a fire in our backyard.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, ma'am, are you outside the house?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah, I'm outside the house.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
ZARRELLA: The raw facts bear out the danger. From 1996 to 2005, the number of structure fires declined nationwide by more than 65,000. But the number of firefighter fatalities has hovered near or above 100 every year. This, despite a wealth of new technologies thermal imaging.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The whites are hotter. The darker colors are a lower temperature.
ZARRELLA: A HAZMAT team arrives at the scene of a ruptured gas line. Vital information about each one, how much air in the tank, which company he or she is with is continually checked with this monitoring device. If something goes wrong and they are forced to evacuate the scene, each firefighter would get the message loud and clear, get out. Now that is loud. You can't miss that.
MCINERNY: No. They definitely know that we want them out.
ZARRELLA: Preaching, teaching, constant training is the only way to reduce McInerny says to reduce the risk. Even then, there are no guarantees. Fighting a fire means getting up close. Firefighters call it putting the wet stuff on the red stuff.
John Zarrella, CNN, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Well, the heroism of the South Carolina firefighters has moved so many of you and we know that you want to help honor them. So to make a difference and impact your world, visit our Web site, CNN.com/impact and you can find information there on the memorial funds that have been set up for the South Carolina firefighters.
HOLMES: Following another developing story this morning, a new offensive in Iraq. Thousands of U.S. and Iraqi troops battling al Qaeda. Fierce fighting taking place, we'll take you to the front lines that is ahead on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: To Iraq now where a major offensive is under way to fight the al Qaeda threat, it is day five now of Operation Arrowhead Ripper, a major push against militants in Diyala Province, that is north of Baghdad, the U.S. military reports that American and Iraqi troops have killed dozens of al Qaeda fighters so far and it says they're tightening their grip on the city of Baquba, an insurgent strong hold.
NGUYEN: Well we are also following intense action in Afghanistan. The military says dozens of militants attacked U.S. and NATO forces overnight near the countries border with Pakistan, but coalition forces fired back, killing 60 insurgents, just one of several violent clashes in Afghanistan in the last 24 hours. Now, one ended with coalition troops detaining about 20 suspected al Qaeda fighters in the eastern part of the country.
HOLMES: Disturbing stories out of Pennsylvania. Hundreds and hundreds of molestation charges filed against a school crossing guard. Suspect Dale Hutchins is charged with more than 1,000 counts of child molestation. Hutchins was arrested Tuesday in Berwick, Pennsylvania. He's charged with molesting at least six children under the age of 13 between 1998 and 2007. The alleged molestation took place at Hutchins home, which is in sight of the school where Hutchins was a crossing guard.
NGUYEN: Well there are new developments in the case of that missing pregnant woman. Authorities say a newborn left on a doorstep in northeast Ohio is not Jessie Davis' child. The 26-year-old woman has been missing for more than a week now. Wayne County officials say the newborn belongs to a woman who concealed her pregnancy from her family.
In the meantime, volunteers plan to search the area around Davis' Uniontown home again today. Two days of searching haven't turned up Davis.
HOLMES: That's a scary moment for a sheriff's deputy here in Wisconsin. Just what happened after she tried to stop an assault suspect from driving off? Police car dash cam that you were just seeing there, that video captured all of it. The suspect is now charged with assault of a deadly weapon, that being his car and fleeing a police officer resulting in injury. The deputy suffered scrapes and bruises and a bump on the head but other than that is set to be doing okay.
NGUYEN: If you're planning your summer vacation, stay tuned for Gerri Willis and her tips on how to avoid being charged all those fees. You know those fees that come on your bill and you are like how did I get that? Well we are going to tell you about them and what you can do about those fees.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: The shuttle's extended stay is finally over, but one more detour before landing. Weather forced "Atlantis" to touch down at Edwards Air Force base in California instead of Florida, and now "Atlantis" will have to be carried back east for the next mission. The shuttle astronauts are scheduled to fly to Houston today to reunite with their families after a two-week space odyssey.
HOLMES: Windows smashed, roofs ripped, trees down after a tornado hits two towns in central Iowa. No one hurt seriously, but about 19,000 homes and businesses are without power. Heavy rain reported overnight and this morning some areas are flooding.
NGUYEN: Well speaking of traveling summer time is vacation time and if you are traveling this season you better listen up because before you check into that fancy hotel there is something that you ought to know about those hidden hotel fees that can really add up.
We'll talk about it with money saver Gerri Willis on CNN's "Open House."
GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You won't believe that consumers spend about $1.75 billion on hotel fees and surcharges that is according to a recent study. But look, if you have a hotel with a lot of amenities, say the fitness center, the pool, the hiking trail, you could be charged $40 a day even if you don't use the services. They are called resort amenity fees; chances are if the place has the word resort in its name, you'll be hit with this charge.
NGUYEN: Thirty a day, even if you don't use it. That is outrageous. Here is something else that I find appalling. If you check in late, you could be charged for that?
WILLIS: Early arrival and early departure fees are on the rise. If you arrive before check in or check out a day early, you'll be charged $50 or you may have to pay for the night you didn't stay. Some hotels have loyalty or frequent customer programs that waive this fee, but check the fine print.
NGUYEN: So the big moneymaker for hotels, obviously, those mini bars. I will tell you though Gerri and I don't know what it is, but I keep getting charges when I haven't even opened the door to the mini bar. What is that all about?
WILLIS: The mini bar is expensive to use. Some hotels even install sensors to keep track of if you've replaced or removed anything from in there. So if you happen to bump into the thing, guess what, you could get billed. If that wasn't enough, there's the restocking fee of $2.50 on the first item for everything that gets removed. Many hotels have gotten sneaky by replacing the typical refrigerators with baskets, which go by sensors, as well. If you touch it, you buy it.
NGUYEN: Everything has sensors in it now. This is in incredible. How do you fight this? There has got to be a way to fight this.
WILLIS: Well, you have to complain. Complain, complain, and we're going to tell you just the best way to do that. Complain about everything from hotel fees to poor service at a restaurant even getting a brand new car by, yes, complaining on "Open House" coming up at 9:30 am. We'll tell you how to pick the perfect bank for your buck and we'll talk more about those hidden hotel fees.
NGUYEN: OK. I have to stop here. A brand new car just because you complain? Are you serious?
WILLIS: Yeah. We have a fellow who will come in and tell us how he did that. It's a fascinating story.
NGUYEN: Oh, you know I will be watching. Gerri Willis, thank you so much. We are looking forward to it.
WILLIS: Thank you, Betty.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ouch!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There we go. Keep filming.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That hurt!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Attack of the flying fish. This is a story you have to see to believe.
NGUYEN: Whoa!
HOLMES: And we are going to show it to you right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right. It's never going to happen, right? Never going to happen. That is what you mean when you say when pigs fly.
HOLMES: But when you put fish in there, what does that mean? Not only is that going to happen, but somebody is going to probably get hurt. Jeanne Moos has the pictures to prove it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): 'Tis the season for flying fish. Trouble is, they don't just fly. They land.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whoa! MOOS: Trouble is they don't just fly, they land, and they landed on CNN's David Mattingly repeatedly, grazed once on the leg, rapped on the arm and slammed in the chest. The chest hit left a bruise the size of a tennis ball and all of this fish smacking was caught from several angles. You didn't have to be an anglers to appreciate it.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That hurt!
MOOS: It seems like flying fish are getting a lot of coverage.
Sure getting smacked by a fish is funny. Take Monte Python's fish-slapping dance. But getting smacked can also be serious. This Florida woman lost one finger and have three reattached after she got hit by a flying sturgeon while on a Jet Ski.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A mac truck hit me.
MOOS: Flying fish, flying anything can be dangerous. Remember when Fabio got hit in the face by a bird while riding a roller coaster. Pitcher Randy Johnson struck a bird instead of throwing a strike and birds can drop a bomb, even on the president. Watch the sleeve screen write.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the last couple months --
MOOS: But bird droppings are to be expected the fish aren't supposed to fly. This guy doubled over after getting hit by a fish in the privates.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right in the mommy/daddy button.
MOOS: Boat engine vibrations tend to get them jumping so does this device, that the rivers small electric shock. Sometimes used by biologists to stun fish so they can be gathered for study.
And you know that expression shooting fish in a barrel. Well with flying fish who needs a barrel?
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