Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Headline Article Date: Mon, 16 Nov 92 17:03:26 EST Message-ID: \SE A;NATION;AMERICAN SCENE;SOUTH \BY FROM WIRE DISPATCHES AND STAFF REPORTS S=NEW STORY Church fire was boy's accident OCALA, Fla. - An 8-year-old boy told investigators he accidentally knocked over an altar candle, starting a fire that gutted a church chapel and caused $100,000 in damages, the police said. The boy will not be charged with starting the fire at Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, a police spokeswoman, Lynn Cyprian, said Saturday. The blaze, which had been ruled arson, now has been called accidental and the case is closed, she said. The boy, a student at the church's school, told authorities he started the Sept. 3 blaze as children were leaving school for the day. "He was lighting a candle, and he knocked it over by accident," Miss Cyprian said. "It fell into a box and the box caught fire. They're not sure what was inside the box, but whatever it was, it caught fire." S=NEW STORY Results show 5 died of asphyxia HOUSTON - Preliminary autopsy results show that five family members whose burned bodies were found inside a house died of asphyxia, but authorities have not yet determined how that happened. The Harris County Medical Examiner's office was awaiting the results of toxicology tests before determining if the asphyxia was caused by strangulation, smoke inhalation or some other means, Houston police homicide Capt. Bill Edison said Saturday. The bodies, bound and gagged and burned beyond recognition, were found Friday in three bedrooms of the burning house. The police have not determined who bound and gagged the family, but said more than one person may have been involved. The medical examiner's office identified the five as Otis Coulson, 66; his wife, Mary Coulson, 54; daughter Sarah, 21, who lived in the house; another daughter, Robin Coulson Wentworth, 25; and her husband, Richard Wentworth, 27. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM