According to the statement, the car underwent an extensive renovation in 1999, was overhauled in 2001, and was last inspected two days before the fatal blaze.

State officials would not say whether any violation was a factor in the fatal blaze, which is under investigation.

A1 Chicken processors are under attack over their basic fire safety practices after last Tuesday's fatal blaze at a North Carolina plant.

The boy's explanation of the fatal blaze, the two lawyers said, is that he wanted to anger his grandmother enough that she would allow him to return to Texas and his mother.

He said the tragedy was all the more desperate because the fatal blaze had been a minor one in firefighting terms.

Guards at a skyscraper delayed reporting a fire alarm for several minutes, allowing the fatal blaze to destroy an electrical emergency system, the Fire Commissioner said today.

Then, referring to Julio Gonzalez, who the police say started the fatal blaze because he was angry at a former girlfriend, she added: "They're mad at that guy.

Several other workers - including a Waldbaum's cashier - told Fire Department investigators that there had been a fire in the same part of the store about two weeks before the fatal blaze.

Referring to the recent fatal blaze, Ms. Tierney said responding fire companies arrived within four minutes of the call, which she called "incredible response time."

Ms. Smith was also charged with an additional count of aggravated arson for three small fires on a nearby street several hours before the fatal blaze.