We arrived early this morning with a rental truck at the Peoria St. building. We were hoping to recover as much of our inventory as possible on the promise we would have an hour to remove what we could. The fire marshal and his investigators were still at work in the building and needed additional time.
Residents had fled the fire with little or no time to collect their valuables let alone anything of substance. The two fatalities were an elderly couple who had been residents for over twenty years. Since the hallways on the top three floors of the building were filled with flame, most residents had to leave the building through their windows.
A two year old child was dropped from one of the upper floors into the arms of a bystander. A young women jumped from the fourth floor to the parking lot below, breaking both ankles and her back. Most of the 25 injuries came from falls to the ground despite warnings from the firemen present that ladders were close.
Later in the day, residents were permitted ten minutes to return to rooms that were not totally destroyed. Arthur and Jason had only a few minutes to pick up IDs, valuables, records and computer files. In the brief time allotted, they were allowed look into the HMS storage area. The news is better than we hoped. There was no standing water or heavy smoke present. It appears that most of the Total War material is intact though no through closer inspections were permitted.
We have no clear idea of when we will have access again to the inventory. The building is still a crime scene, though fire and police have gone silent on the individual taken into custody. Insurance investigators have not yet had a chance to look at the interior of the building. I’m sure we will be notified of when we can return and begin recovering our material and we will let you know as soon as we do. Jason and Arthur are without living accommodations and that will be a priority for the next few days.
It’s very disheartening to hear that the community suffered fatalities and injuries; it is especially sad that one woman broke her back in a jump from four flights up. What could have possibly motivated someone to put a building with so many residents home, to the torch? May the punishment fit the crime
I am sad to hear that any one lost their lives or people got injured.
I am glad you guys are not injured. THank you for keeping us up to date on the goings not.
This is just crazy news.
This Tragedy does point out the possibility of the same happening at the GRD where all our GW materials await mailing. Again I propose xeroxing the missing unprinted documents and going ahead and issueing the game as is. When the printing is(if ever) completed, the final materials can be mailed to all the GW owners.
Please Consider this. A bird in the hand is certainly worth more than a few unprinted documents (birds) in the “never-ever” bush. Thanks.
This is a horrific tragedy. I’m grateful for those who escaped, and saddened by the death of the elderly couple. If I can do anything to help, please let me know.
Good grief, the run of HMS/GRD bad luck is utterly astounding! Very glad to hear that Arthur and Jason are OK. Hope the same holds true for the inventory.
The details of the story are a little confusing. Are the game components in a storage room in an apartment complex where Arthur and Jason are living? Or is the company office in a building also damaged by the fire? Or is there a “company office” at all?
I’m having a little trouble trying to understand why what sounds like a tragic apartment complex fire would nearly wipe out critical game inventory (BTW, is that inventory insured? What in the world would happen now if that inventory is/had been destroyed??).
Sounds like a very close call dodging this bullet. Hope you all can manage to get this project completed and in the mail before lightning strikes yet again!
Glad you guys are ok. I hope that both Jason and Arthur can find a place to stay soon.
Re: your luck, don’t go to Vegas!
It is always a disaster when there is loss of life and injury. I am very sorry to hear about the couple that lost their lives and injury that was caused by this criminal act. Strange that the Black Knight incident too caused delay with regards to the printing.
I am surprised to hear too that the inventory for Total War is in a basement storage area at an appartment building. I too thought materials along with other HMS materials were in a warehouse.
I have always had an interest in the Normandy Campaign and the illusions the allies employed to decieve the Axis. Could Total War also carry the same traits as Pattons ficticious army in England.
I really think it is time to either get on with it or lay your cards on the table.
Very sorry to hear all this tragic news. Hope that you can recover from the bad luck of the last months.
That’s one reason more to consider the possibility to send maps and counters already to the customers (i thinks they exist ?) together with a cd with rules and charts.
Can this be done after you recover the stock from the building?
What are the others here thinking of this proposition ?
I agree on the CD or download alternative. It is a very good suggestion that might help out – both the customers/ players and the HMS/ GRD from a tricky situation.
Otherwise we might be seeing even more delays coming up soon.
Any more news on the post-fire situation? Was there smoke damage to the game components?
I know you have run into a string of bad luck and near disater, but couldn’t post a couple of samples on the web page???
I will pay an extra fee for the CD now, with the maps and counters, and then receive the “printer’s folios” later. You have an opportunity to dissolve frustration and make some immediate capital.
Aurora, my heart bleeds with thee…
Sorry to hear of the fire and the loss of life and property. I hope Jason and Arthur have found a safe haven … Looking ahead … have you been granted clearance by the Fire Marshall to inspect your inventory?
I have privately emailed Arthur and Gar twice now without a reply. I loathe taking this publicly, but I really need a response to my messages, and I do not know if either of you are actually checking your emails.
Then again, who knows if either of you are checking here, either, since there has never been a response to any comments here.
@JR – Gar and Art have never been good about answering my e-mails, so it may not mean anything in this case. Under the circumstances, however, you are not unjustified in wanting a swifter response. Perhaps they are going through the inventory now. If so, everyone would appreciate it, if they could keep us advised of what is going on.
Do you really think that the “rules” and charts are finished ? If so, why not put them “online” (for everyone) and send the maps and counters (which are already printed) to the customers ? This would reduce the money they need. Win-win for everybody and some goodwill of the guys who are already waiting since several years.
They can then continue to sell this way : only maps and counters. And do this for the next 2 versions of the Russian War !
I really don’t see what’s the problem with that. Or is there another reason why they cannot do this ?