We have been updating a story all morning long about a house fire west of Martintown that began in the early-morning hours.
The third update of the story, originally posted at about 8 a.m. as breaking news, now is our lead story online. It includes information for people who want to donate items to the family, whose rented home was destroyed by the fire.
We received information about the fire indirectly. No one was in the office when the original call was made, at about 2:15 a.m. Its one of the few hours of the day when there isnt anyone in the newsroom.
But at about 6 a.m. there was an ambulance call to the fire scene, which alerted us that there probably had been an overnight event. After a few calls, our reporter, Tere Dunlap, was able to determine that the Browntown Fire Department had gotten the original call. Eventually, eight departments were involved.
But because everyone was at the scene, she had to drive out on deadline to gather more than the basic information we posted online. This didnt allow us to update todays newspaper edition (which is finished before 9 a.m.) with any new information, but gave her a chance to talk to the family and get some photographs. Some of that information is online right now, more of it will be in Wednesdays newspaper edition.
This is one of many instances where its beneficial to have two news products one the newspaper that is a constant public record that allows for more in-depth coverage, the other the Web site that is fluid and more immediate.
The third update of the story, originally posted at about 8 a.m. as breaking news, now is our lead story online. It includes information for people who want to donate items to the family, whose rented home was destroyed by the fire.
We received information about the fire indirectly. No one was in the office when the original call was made, at about 2:15 a.m. Its one of the few hours of the day when there isnt anyone in the newsroom.
But at about 6 a.m. there was an ambulance call to the fire scene, which alerted us that there probably had been an overnight event. After a few calls, our reporter, Tere Dunlap, was able to determine that the Browntown Fire Department had gotten the original call. Eventually, eight departments were involved.
But because everyone was at the scene, she had to drive out on deadline to gather more than the basic information we posted online. This didnt allow us to update todays newspaper edition (which is finished before 9 a.m.) with any new information, but gave her a chance to talk to the family and get some photographs. Some of that information is online right now, more of it will be in Wednesdays newspaper edition.
This is one of many instances where its beneficial to have two news products one the newspaper that is a constant public record that allows for more in-depth coverage, the other the Web site that is fluid and more immediate.
